Phoenix rising
by cm2
Summary: Tomoyo is one of the upperclass, the Elite, and a spy in the Underground, the notorious Phoenix. When she has to choose between Elite and Underground (her new love too) will she be able to choose the one that will keep her alive? it's edited now ^-^
1. prologue

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
  
  
  
  


**_Prologue_**

  
  
  
Tomoyo Daidouji...the last of my kind. Well, not really, I'm only seven eighths my kind. My father was the last full blood and my mother is three quarters. I belong to a race of shape shifters. We can transform into any creature we want, real or not. My favored form is the phoenix. Anyone who is half blood or more has the power to shift.  
  
I am technically a member of the Elite. The wealthy barons. The ruling class on every planet. But, I'm also a member of the Underground. The trash and filth of the city, so say my fellow Elite. The Underground actually are very nice people. They have a class and style of their own. I can move freely amongst them as I never would among my own class.  
  
I am a spy, an information mercenary in the Underground. My ability to shape-shift has only helped me. My code name is the Phoenix. I have not had a case in a while. One could say that I'm retired. A little young to be doing so, but I have enough money. I was and still am the best there is. If I told you how much money I've accumulated over the years I had in how many bank accounts and under how many names, I'd have to kill you.  
  
This duality of my life was easy to adjust to. In fact there was practically no adjusting necessary since I already lead two lives, every Elite lives two lives. One could say, then, that I live three different lives that are quite easy to keep apart.  
  
I first got involved in the Underground when I was 13. That was the year my father left my mother and I heard that I was betrothed. I don't even remember the poor man's name now, since it has not been mentioned since then. I'm 18 this year, and I now believe the true love does _not_ exist.  
  
The "loves" of my class are fraudulent. A charade put on for the amusement of the Commoners. Behind closed doors, though, the glamorous couples sleep around, argue, threaten to kill. In the Underground, there are only one night flings. It sickens me.  
  
My mother will be wanting to bring up the marriage again. Maybe I should run away.  
  


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  


  
My name is Eriol Hiragizawa, and I'm as elite as an Elite can get. My father is the governor of this planet, Commerce. Such a utilitarian name. I'm expected to become a politician, just as every Hiragizawa has been for the last six generations. Politicians are only puppets, but then again, the Elite live lives to entertain the Common, the middle class.  
  
I'm 20. I have dark, dark black hair and round glasses and purplish, black eyes. My mother is always telling me how gorgeous I look and that my promised girl will completely be at my command because she'll be so overwhelmed with my looks. I don't even remember the girl's name. Marriage is not exactly on my priority list.  
  
My father has about a dozen mistresses. He claims to be in love with each and every one of them. My mother scrupulously pretends that they don't exist, like a good Elite woman. Unless my promised one is as ugly as a cow and has a sack of potatoes for a body, I'm going to try to be faithful to her. Is that even a normal thought for an Elite man?  
  
I don't think I'll ever fall in love though. I've seen the way people act, there can't be anything called love. My fellow Elite men probably frequent brothels more than any Commons man. I've been to a brothel once and I absolutely hated it; in some ways, it was even more fake than my life.  
  
I went to the Underground, the slums, to find love when I was 17. I remember I was sick of acting the way I was expected to act, I needed a life that was a little more real, a little more tangible. I never got involved with anyone there though, I did get pretty close one or twice, but I never did. If my mother ever finds out, she'll kill me. My father would just laugh and say "That's my boy," out of my mother's hearing range though.  
  
I don't use my real name when I'm in the Underground. I use Eli. I don't need a last name there. You create yourself in the Underground. The sheer human-ness of the Underground is my utopia. Sometimes I wonder if my own behavior is normal. How many other people in the Elite think up these things?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Phoenix, meet Eli

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
  
  
  
  


**_Phoenix, meet Eli_**

  
  
  
Commerce was a beautiful planet, if living in the city was the kind of life you enjoyed because Commerce was a city planet. The first of its kind. In exchange for permission to turn the planet into a city, the Interstellar congress had mandated that a certain percentage of Commerce be kept pristine, in its original condition, and it was. But mostly, Commerce was a concrete jungle.  
  
The ruling class, the Elite, of Commerce were a unique bunch; they were made up of a jumble of races and species, even mixed bloods. Most other planets had homogenous Elite. The Governor, Admiral Hiragizawa, prided himself on the fact that his planet was so diverse. That and his son, who according to all the Elite-stalking media was **DROP DEAD GORGEOUS**!  
  
The Admiral had once told his boy, "Eriol, with your good looks, you can have any woman you want by just looking at her."  
  
Eriol hadn't really been listening. He had always held his own council, like his mother. When Eriol was 15, his mother had gone off and betrothed him to some girl. The Admiral couldn't remember her name, but it didn't matter, Eriol would probably end up like most other Elite: get his wife pregnant once every few years and then canoodle around with a few mistresses.  
  
Eriol wasn't sure what he wanted. He just knew that he didn't want to get married. He had never meet the girl and his mother had only mentioned the name to him once. His friends teased him that she would be ugly, but rich. Eriol shuddered. The last thing he wanted was a wife who looked hideous, but he wasn't free to choose. His mother had promised him to a girl five years ago. Since then, he hadn't heard a thing about the betrothal. He could only hope his mother had forgotten.  
  
It was time to get away from his troubles. He sighed. Opening his door to make sure that no one was around, he snuck out. A cloak would hide his face until he got to where he wanted to go. There, no one would care who he was. He was just another face in a sea of people. He was going to the Underground.  
  
There was a bar he went to, called the Jester. He drowned out his worries in cheap, watered down beer.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Tomoyo Daidouji had just had an arguement with her mother. After five years, her mother brought up her engagement again. Tomoyo had not stuck around long enough to hear the name of her promised one. She didn't want to. He would probably be egotistical and leave her eventually with a dozen children and nothing else.  
  
She left the house. Taking a seeminly random walk. Her mother employed spies; she would have to get rid of them first. It was a good thing she was wearing bland colored sweats. She could easily loose the spies in an alley way or side street. And she was agile too. Five years of work as a spy had made her quick on her feet and sharpened her senses. Besides, she always carried a few weapons, artfully concealed, on her person.  
  
Once she was sure that she was not being followed, she made her way to the Underground district. She hadn't been there in a while. There was a bar she had frequented since she was 13. The owner had never questioned her age because she looked and acted older than she really was. She had an "office" behind the bar. She rarely used it now, but it was good to have.  
  
The bar, called the Jester, was crowded and filled with smoke. Bits and peices of old broken down machinery cluttered the floor. In the corner of the room, an old vidcom sat, showing random pieces of different channels and blaring pieces of loud music, changing every three seconds.  
  
Had she not been the notorious and well respected Phoenix, Tomoyo would have had trouble navagating the crowd to the counter. Tomoyo stood in the doorway for a moment, raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat softly. The crowd around her quieted, and their quiet spread throughout the room. Tomoyo slowly walked over to the bar. She allowed herself a small smile. She still commanded respect.  
  
There was someone in her seat at the bar. "You're in my seat," she said quietly.  
  
"Yeah? Buzz off la-" he turned around. "OH, oh, sorry, sorry, er, I'll be leaving now."  
  
She followed him with her eyes. As she sat down, the bar slowly went back to it's normal sound level. She put her head down on the table. The bartender, Spiral, came up to her. "The usual?"  
  
"Yes thank you."  
  
"Bad day, Phoenix?"  
  
"Don't get me started." She looked up gratefully as Spiral put down a glass of brown, fizzy liquid in front of her.  
  
Spiral was generally a good natured man, shrewd too. He seemed to revel in the fact that he was the only one who had ever talked to Phoenix that had not been "tested" in someway. Tomoyo could also tell he enjoyed pretending that the Phoenix trusted him. _Fool,_ she thought to herself. _Phoenix trusts no one from the Underground._   
Tomoyo sat, enjoying her drink, thinking about her uncertain future, when Spiral came up to her again. "There's a man over there who wants to get to know you, Phoenix. Should I send him on his way?"  
  
Tomoyo finished her drink. Narrowed her eyes, ran her tongue over her teeth, and said. "No, no, send him here, and get me some more of this."  
  
Spiral scurried along, refilling Tomoyo's drink and telling the man to come see her. She watched as Spiral talked to him. Dark eyes, dark hair, she couldn't check out his build because he was wearing a cloak. She would have to make sure he wasn't dangerous.  
  
The man sauntered up to her and slid into a vacant seat next to her. "I've been here a lot, but I've never seen you before."  
  
Eriol was impressed by this beauty. She too had dark hair and dark eyes. She was slim, curved in all the right places, and she had a commanding presence. Tomoyo barely looked at him, in fact, she looked annoyed. "What do you want?"  
  
Eriol was surprised. For once his looks didn't get him anything. "Let me buy you a drink."  
  
Tomoyo raised her eyebrows. "I don't drink."  
  
"Ooookkkay then, what's your name?"  
  
"Phoenix. If you're here so often, you should know me."  
  
"Eli. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"I wish I could say the same," Tomoyo sneered.  
  
Spiral watched the interchange with amusment. He had to be ready to interfere if Phoenix decided to get rough.  
  
"Why don't you take off your cloak?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"None of your business."  
  
"Come back when you wear something that can't conceal a weapon so easily," she said dismisively.  
  
"Paranoid little lady aren't we?"  
  
Tomoyo didn't like his comment. "I'm not paranoid. Just cautious. You'd best be on your way before the Pheonix makes sure you don't show your face anywhere, ever again."  
  
"Are you sure you didn't have too much to drink?"  
  
"I drink root beer you fathead," she rolled her eyes and slammed her glass down onto the counter. "Get out of my way. I'm leaving."  
  
Spiral walked over to Eriol, who was looking at the Phoenix's glass. Sure enough, it was root beer. "Trying your luck with the Phoenix, my boy?"  
  
"Why would you care?"  
  
"No reason. She must like you better than the others. You're the first one to approach her she hasn't tried to hurt."  
  
"I'm flattered," Eriol said dryly. He put down some coins and left the bar.  
  
Spiral watched him leave jealously. _I'm going to have to watch this Eli kid. He might get in my way._   
  
  
a/n: can you tell I think Eriol is a q-t-pi? hehe   
  



	3. How to create a scandal (sort of)

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
  
  
  
  


**_How to make a scandal (sort of)_**

  
  
  
Tomoyo strolled down the streets, of the Underground district. Finding a secluded spot, she transformed into a bird and flew around. It was exhilerating to be up in the air, looking at all the people, and as long as she kept to the housing districts, she would have no problem navagating. She had seen all of this before. Whenever she fought with her mother, she would leave and come back as a bird.  
  
Today, she did not want to go back yet. She wanted to stay free, in the wild, and not return to the sordid farce that was the Elite class. Her thoughts turned to the engagement. Her mother had only said "your engagement" and Tomoyo started getting angry. Maybe she should have given her mother a chance. But then that would have made her mother think she wanted to go and get married, which was completely untrue.  
  
She went back home anyways and put on a dress and brushed her hair. Tomoyo went and found her mother. She sank into a low curtsy. "Forgive me for my impertinence this afternoon mother."  
  
"No need to beg forgivness child. The fault was mine. It seems the boy is not ready either. Your future can wait." Her mother, Sonomi, smiled. "I suggest you change into something different, we're going to Helen's house for dinner."  
  
"Oh, no, not Helen," Tomoyo moaned.  
  
Sonomi raised a perfect eyebrow. "Do you have a problem with Helen?"  
  
"No, it's not that, it's just that, Helen always turns these dinner parties into media affairs."  
  
Sonomi blinked slowly. "The media, my child, thrives off the Elite. You must learn to accept that since you are an Elite."  
  
"Mother, must I go?"  
  
"They will question when you are not present with me," she responded, purposely not specifying who the "they" was.  
  
"It shall be as my mother wishes," said Tomoyo.  
  
When she got back to her room, she sighed inwardly. "Well, since this is going to be publicized, I might as well give the public something to talk about." Throwing open her closet, she walked in and went to a part of the closet she used rarely. Here were the outfits that she had bought or requisitioned in defiance of her mother's wished. None of them were particularly scandalous, but then again, none of them were what you would wear to a dinner party. Unless you were Tomoyo Daidouji and you were trying to shock everyone around you to death.  
  
Tomoyo tried on several outfits. By the time she found one to her liking, did her hair, and put on make up, her mother was knocking "Tomoyo, it's time to go."  
  
"Coming mother," Tomoyo called. She took one last look at her appearance, smiled, and threw on an overcoat and kid-gloves, running to catch up to her mother.  
  
"What are you wearing?" Sonomi asked. Tomoyo shrugged and got into the limo. Sonomi was used to surprises from her daughter, who struggled against the rules and restrictions of the Elite. She could only hope that whatever Tomoyo had on under the coat was not too inappropriate. Tomoyo reminded her of herself; when she was younger, she too had been like Tomoyo, flashy yet shy, demure yet cunning. That was how she got the attention of Tomoyo's father. Shape-shifters had a tendency to be a jumble of opposites.  
  
He had tired of her quickly, though, and soon left to find his amusements elsewhere. So the first chance Sonomi got, she betrothed her daughter to the son of a highly placed official, knowing that if they ever separated...well, knowing that they could never separate for fear of scandal.  
  
All too soon, they arrived at Helen's flat. One hundred feet up in the air, the limo docked. The height of the docking field did not stop the reporters. They had their own little hover pods and armed with their camera and recorders, they swooped in on the limo. When Tomoyo and her mother stepped out, they were greeted by a flurry of reporters. As they moved forward, the crowd parted and let them pass.  
  
The first set of doors led to an ante-room, only a few privileged journalists were allowed here. The coat boy asked for their coats. Tomoyo and Sonomi gave their coats to the boy. As soon as Tomoyo removed her coat and turned around, cameras started flashing. Sonomi's eye's widened briefly before she regained her composure.  
  
Tomoyo was wearing what would have been a nice over coat if it had sleeves. It was lavender and zipped up from her waist and the tail of the coat reached to the heels on her boots. The back of the coat had a phoenix rising from it ashes embroidered in brightly colored thread. Her black leather pants were almost completely covered by leather boots, emblazoned with her trademark phoenix emblem near the top. Tomoyo called the coat boy back to give him her gloves, revealing nails that were acrylic and had a rhinestone design on them.  
  
Sonomi smiled and whispered to her daughter, "Any other surprises?"  
  
Tomoyo responded, smiling as well, "Absolutely none."  
  
They walked into the huge dining room. Helen rushed over. "Sonomi! It's so good to see you again," she said kissing both her cheeks. "And Tomoyo," Helen stopped for a moment, taking in her liberal appearance. "Interesting ensemble you have there."  
  
"Why thank you, I rather like it myself," she said before she was swept away by a crowd of younger Elite.  
  
The next day, Sonomi brought up the news reels of the day using her vidcom. Tomoyo was on the front page. "Trend-setter extrordinaire" was the head line. Sonomi wasn't sure whether to laugh or be ashamed. She knocked on her daughter's door. "Tomoyo, did you see the news reels today?"  
  
The door opened, Tomoyo must have just gotten up. "No, why?"  
  
"You're a head line."  
  
"Well, that was my intent. Are you angry?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry, child."  
  
"Decide later. The phone's ringing." Tomoyo shut the door.  
  
Sonomi turned around and walked briskly to the phone. "Hello?"   
Tomoyo evesdropped on her mother long enough to see what they were talking about. "Edith!.....yes....we didn't see you last night....yes...yes....I suppose that was what she meant to do...." They were talking about her.  
  
Tomoyo called up the newsreel her mother was reading. Yes, yes, it had done a wonderful job of describing her. She skimmed throught the article. _"...new age beauty...excellent blending of old and new...like her mother..."_ Mother?! Tomoyo stopped reading there. Sonomi had never told Tomoyo that she had also made head lines in her youth.  
  
Tomoyo called up another news reel. This one was the complete opposite of the last one. _"Shame of the Elite...disgraced all...even her mother registered shock...will cause scandal."_ Tomoyo could have laughed out loud; she loved opposites. So, she passed her morning, reading new reels about herself, some boasting her as a glamour queen and some denouncing her as a shame.  
  
The Elite had no newspapers of their own, so Tomoyo had no way of knowing exactally what fellow Elite thought, but since the two major new reels carried conflicting opinions, she had a feeling that the phone would be ringing for a very long time.   
  
  
  
a/n: You know, it's kinda deflating not having your story reviewed, so review, review! (or else i'll have to pull out the chopsticks of doom and beat you. ;) j/k, j/k!) just review, ok?   



	4. Questions, but no answers

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
So, here's the next chapter...It really didn't take too long, I had a little writers block on how to end, but I got over it....*quickly posts and runs away from the Great One*...thanx to the people who reviewed...  
  
Touya-mou - I'm not sure how to beat someone with chopsticks either...I know they make really long ones though...I should go find a pair...hehehe   
  
  
  


**_Questions, but no answers_**

  
  
  
After leaving the bar, Eriol wandered the streets of the Underground. He was intrigued by this Phoenix character. He started asking around for information about her, information that the people were reluctant to give. Discouraged, he decided that he would just have to come back another time when the Phoenix was there.  
  
He got home at nine that night. His mother was frantic with worry. "Eriol, Eriol. Where were you?? We were supposed to go somewhere tonight, but that's all right. We can stay at home and have a nice family dinner instead. Ok? Does that sound good to you?"  
  
"Mother, I'm not dying. What ever you want to do sounds good to me," he said, shrugging her off.  
  
The next morning at breakfast, reading the news reels, his father laughed. His mother, Edith, frowned. "What's so funny Harold?"  
  
"Tomoyo Daidouji."  
  
"Sonomi's daughter?"  
  
"Yep, she's a looker too."  
  
"Harold, she's eighteen." His mother called up the article on her vidcom and read it with a look of amusement on her face. "Excuse me. I need to make a phone call." She went to the phone in the hallway and dialed the number of the Daidouji residence. "Sonomi! This is Edith....Yes, yes....well, Eriol didn't get home until late last night, so we decided not to show. I read about your daughter this morning....Doesn't she remind you of they way you were?....Purposely?...*laughter* Then, Sonomi, she truly is your daughter....Sonomi," Edith paused to look around and make sure no one was listening. "Do you think she'll settle down in time?..._You_ know what I'm talking about....well, we'd better hope she does....anything remotely scandalous would ruin all of us after _that_...yes...yes, I'll see soon." She hung up.  
  
Eriol had been listening to his mother's conversation. _What was she talking about with Mrs. Daidouji??_ he thought. That conversation he had just heard was one of the oddest. He knew that Sonomi Daidouji and his mother had been friends since they were children, so they had a language that was all their own; they could say about fifty different thing using the word "you" by putting different emphasis' on the word. Insanity. He had meet Sonomi, but he had never meet her daughter and he never paid very much attention to gossip and newsreels to know what Tomoyo Daidouji looked like.  
  
His father left for the office soon after breakfast. His mother would probably go to some ladies club. It was just him, the house, and the servants....again. He thought about how to occupy his day and immediately "Jester" popped into his mind. He could go there, but that would get boring after a while. He decided to do a little snooping on the nets to find references to a certain "Phoenix" of the Underground. He turned to his vidcom and searched.  
  
Hours later, he sat, frustrated. This Phoenix woman covered her tracks well, not even the sited devoted to the Underground had anything on anyone named Phoenix. She obviously was experienced. His only other option was to look in the Underground, but that was dangerous. Eriol smiled to himself. He like danger.  
  
Before he knew it, he was in the Underground district, wandering around with no apparent destination in mind.  
  
Tomoyo was also wandering the Underground. She was on the job, but for herself this time; she had reason to believe that someone wanted her out of the picture and she had to get to him before he got to her. She transformed into a cat, keeping her ears alert for anything that might have to do with her. From on top of a building, she looked down at the people. There was one right below her that she could easily scare if she was in the mood. The person turned around. It was the guy from the Jester yesterday. _My, my, won't he be fun to scare._  
  
She jumped down and waited until his back was facing her before she shifted back into a human. "Well, well, well, if it isn't the fathead from the bar yesterday."  
  
Eriol turned around, startled. "Hello Phoenix." He followed her with his eyes as she walked around him once.  
  
"You're a cutie aren't you? And I'll bet you come with all the confidence of someone who knows he's a looker." She smiled slightly.  
  
"So what if I am?" Eriol said. Tomoyo raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest. Eriol gave Tomoyo the elevator look. "You're not half bad yourself."  
  
"I know," said Tomoyo, preening.  
  
"So I guess we're in the same boat."  
  
"It's a shame that I have to be classified with scum like you."  
  
"How can you be so sure I'm scum?"  
  
Tomoyo sniffed. "I just do." She started walking away. Eriol ran to catch up with her.  
  
"I have a name you know," he said jogging at her side. "Eli."  
  
"Yes, and I'm sure if you repeat it often enough I'll remember it," Tomoyo said sarcastically.  
  
Eriol shrugged. "Eli Eli Eli Eli Eli Eli Eli."  
  
"OK, that's enough," said Tomoyo sighing. "I didn't mean it literally." She turned to look at him. "You have no idea how annoying you are, yet I can't bring myself to hurt you."  
  
"It's my charm. I'm chock full of it."  
  
"Don't flatter yourself, _Eli_."  
  
Eriol mockingly opened the door for her when the reached the Jester. Tomoyo ignored him and walked towards a back room. She unlocked it with a key that was around her neck and walked it. Tomoyo had been in here many times for the same reason, but she needed to make sure one last time. Her office was empty now. In actuality, there had never really been anything in it, but she had to make sure. She had debated with herself the wisdom of staying in the Underground. The people following her could not be a good thing, so reluctantly, she had gradually started to clear out of her informal headquarters.  
  
After inspecting everything to her satisfaction, she left. Walking over to the bar, she rapped the counter with her knuckles. "Spiral!"  
  
Spiral scurried over. "Phoenix. Two days in a row, you're here."  
  
She ignored his comment. "My current employment requires me to obtain holdings that are more chic. I don't need that office anymore."  
  
Spiral looked surprised. "Anymore?" but Tomoyo was already walking out of the bar. Spiral walked over to two men who were sitting in a booth. One was huge and muscled. The other was skinny and always moving. "Go, hurry up," he said quietly. "Follow her." The two men nodded and left.  
  
They followed Tomoyo for a while before they lost her. Tomoyo knew she was being followed; she would have been surprised if she hadn't been. She let them follow her for a while before she jumped onto the roof of a building and shifted into a cat. She watched as the two men looked around to see where she went. Tomoyo looked up at the sun. It was close to noon. She would have to wait for another day to follow them, her mother would be expecting her home for afternoon tea.  
  
She went home and changed. Her vidcom beeped at her. She turned on the screen and a message popped up. Some one was searching for her on the nets. She tried to trace the search, but who ever had conducted it was working from a secure network. That meant that this person had access to higher-level security nets, meaning this person had money. But she had never worked with any Elite, she had made sure of that. She tapped her teeth with a fingernail, thinking.  
  
Someone she knew in the Underground was also like her, an Elite in disguise. Could it be this person who was sending people after her? She doubted it, but it was still a possibility. The Elite always searched the nets first, but she had been followed by people who were not her mother's spies for months now. Could it be that this person had finally bribed an official into giving him access to higher-level nets? An official! Only they had access to these nets and they were clannish Elite. It would have to be someone who was close to them, not a servant though. Most vidcoms belonging to officials needed bio-recognition, a thumb print, blood, a retina scan, something, to turn on.  
  
Deceptively simple, she would just have to find pictures of Elite that had access to these hack-proof nets. She needed pictures that showed them without make up on. Tomoyo groaned. The Elite always had make up on. That was the only reason she had not been recognized. Tomoyo never was without make up unless she was in the Underground, or by herself at home.  
  
She lay back on her bed. This person searching for her on the nets was not an immediate problem. She was careful not to accept any job that might get her any attention like that. Her current problem consisted of the Underground spies that were following her.  
  
The problem with most Underground spies was that they were clumsy. Sure, there were a few slick ones, like herself, but they were always expensive to hire, by Underground standards. She had never meet any other spies besides herself, so she didn't know their conditions. The reason she was so good was because she was a shape-shifter. Other spies might be jealous of her business, but then, surely they would be aware of how good she was and they would come after her themselves, wouldn't they?  
  
Tomoyo lay there on her bed, her mind racing. She didn't even hear the maid knock on the door and call her for tea. Her mother came in and shook her gently. "Tomoyo, what's the matter? Are you alright?"  
  
"Huh? oh, Mother, I'm fine. I was just thinking."  
  
"About?"  
  
"Nothing really," she shrugged and smiled at her mother. "So tell me mother, what has the public's reaction been to last night?"  
  
Sonomi smiled. "Mixed. Some good some bad. Don't worry, it'll blow over eventually."  
  
"Oh, no, Mother, I'm not worried, in fact, I think this is quite amusing. Are you sure you want to take me to where ever we're supposed to be going tonight?"  
  
"We aren't going anywhere tonight, I cancelled everything for the next few days. No more near scandals."  
  
"Of course not Mother," Tomoyo said.  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Two months later

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
  
  
  
  


**Two months later__**

  
  
  
Eriol was stumped. He could not figure out this Phoenix character. In his conversations with her when they meet by chance at the Jester were always the same. She wasn't on any of the nets and no one was willing to talk about her. When they did, they never said anything about her that he couldn't already have guessed from kind of talking to her.  
  
His mother had started to ask where he was going everyday, so he went to the Underground less often. A delegation from the Interstellar Congress visited and stayed for two weeks, so it was his obligation as the governor's son to help show the representatives Commerce. When he went to the Underground again, he discovered that tongues were wagging about the whereabouts of Phoenix.  
  
She had not been seen for three weeks and all of a sudden, she started coming back, coincidentally, the day before Eriol went back, but Eriol wasn't important enough to notice, at least, not in the Underground. He walked into the Jester and saw Phoenix there, sitting at her usual spot, drinking her usual root beer. He sat down in the vacant spot next to her. "Rumors are flying," he commented.  
  
Tomoyo turned her head to look. "You again."  
  
"It's Eli, remember?"  
  
"Yes, we've had this part of the conversation about a dozen times before," She paused, "You've been asking around about me." Tomoyo said, concentrating on her drink again.  
  
"So what if I have?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why have I been asking about you?" Eriol shrugged. "You intrigue me."  
  
"No body's talking though."  
  
"They're talking about how you haven't shown your face in the Underground for the last three weeks."  
  
"Tell me then, what are they saying?" Tomoyo was genuinely curious, but she managed to turn that curiosity into sarcasm.  
  
"They think you went off world. They think maybe you got caught and were in jail. They also think you were abducted by the Interstellar Congress, which is absolutely ridiculous," he said with no hesitation.  
  
Tomoyo raised an eyebrow. "That's it?" Eriol nodded. "You're joking me."  
  
"Why would I?" Eriol asked.  
  
Tomoyo looked thoughtful. "No, no, you have no reason to be joking with me."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
She got up and left. Eriol watched her leave. He also watched two men leave very soon after her, a big one and a skinny one. He had seen them leave after her every time she left. At first, he had thought that they were her body guards. After all, why shouldn't someone like Phoenix have them? But then he started noticing that those two men were there long before Phoenix arrived and long after she left. He also saw then at the Jester on days the Phoenix wasn't there. They were obviously someone else's people and they were obviously following Phoenix. Sometimes, he saw Spiral talking to them, but Spiral talked to everyone, so Eriol couldn't be sure Spiral was the one who's hired them.  
  
Eriol worried for Phoenix's safety. In the two months he had known her, he had fallen in love with her. He was careful not to show it though; he didn't want to ruin any chance he had with her, however small it seemed to be at that moment. Eriol wanted to follow the two men, but he realized that Phoenix could take care of herself and if he followed them, it would be showing her that he cared. He knew that if Phoenix found out now about his affections, he would loose all hope of winning her, so he left her alone.  
  
What was so attractive about her? She was beautiful, but her personality was something else. This was a woman he would never find among the Elite. She had spunk and he loved it. Oh my, oh my. If she was Elite, what a woman she would be. And he could pursue her publicly as well. But then he remembered that he was betrothed. Betrothed to a woman he didn't know. If only Phoenix were Elite.  
  
Tomoyo lost the two spies very easily and flew home. She had never looked very closely at those two, but she knew they were the same people who had followed her from the beginning. They probably had orders not to try to kill her, or else the certainly would have tried already. After all, there had been more than a few opportunities if that had been their goal.   
  
On her way home, her mind drifted to Eli. This dismayed her. What was so special about him? Why was he on her mind so often lately? She never trusted anyone she meet in the Underground. Their backgrounds and motives were way to questionable for her. Yet Eli was a charmer. Tomoyo hated admitting it to herself, Eli was a charmer. She had to remind herself not to get too carried away. She was betrothed to some Elite man already. Which really was a shame, because seeing how thing would turn out between herself and Eli would be fun. _What?! What am I thinking! Bad Tomoyo! Bad Phoenix!_ she admonished herself.  
  
She checked her vidcom to see if anyone had been looking for her again. No, nothing. It seemed, after that one day, whoever was looking for her simply stopped. Which was very good for her. She still wanted to know who it was, but as long as the person wasn't looking for her anymore, she would leave it alone.  
  
For the last two months, Spiral had watched Phoenix and Eli very closely. She trusted Eli more than him and he had known her for five years! The injustice of the situation! What did Eli have that he didn't? Spiral watched as Eli tried to charm Phoenix, and even if it wasn't very obvious, she was crumbling. If things kept going the way they were, Phoenix would be Eli's!  
  
Spiral sighed. His little fetish for Phoenix had ruined him these last months. He had hired spies to find out where she lived, but she always eluded them. It was frustrating. He had tried to hire new spies, but he never had enough money. His current spies had raised their rates when they figured out that Phoenix would always disappear. He could save money by letting them go, the thought had crossed his mind more than once, but he might need them unexpectedly one day. He had to keep them. He had to.  
  
He rubbed his temples. He had been drinking more lately and was suffering constant headaches. There was still the possibility that Eli was just a customer and Phoenix was only putting up with his attitude because he was paying her. That could always be a possibility.   
  
  
  
  
  
a/n: short, I know, but review anyways....(or else the chopsticks of doom will come and get you! *evil laughter*) p.s. to the Great One - you are reminding me scarily of myself ;) 


	6. Enlistment

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
a/n: sigh...I luv you guys...My day (starrting at 1:30) started going down hill...now I'm really tired...I had forgotten how tired I get after I get really super angry....I usually don't because usually there's nothing to get angry about and I'm not the kind of person who gets angry easily...just thinking about it maked my blood boil...but I don't have enough energy to deal with it right now....enuf about me...   
  
  
  


**_Enlistment_**

  
  
  
Tomoyo watched Eli very closely whenever she saw him. She wanted someone's help and something inside her screamed Eli. She hoped it wasn't her feelings getting in the way, but there was no one else, so she had to go with Eli. The two men who had been following her had been tagging her more closely than before and just today, she had seen one of them holding a piece of metal. A knife perhaps, she wasn't paying attention, she just wanted to get out of the Underground.  
  
Tomoyo had been able to get out of the house more because her mother was planning a not so secret surprise birthday party for her nineteenth birthday, five months away. Sonomi Daidouji was awful at keeping secrets.  
  
She has wanted to enlist Eli days ago, but she had to do it quietly so those two men wouldn't notice. Tomoyo hoped that she would have the good luck of bumping into Eli outside the Jester, but so far, no such thing. So, now she had to risk him by openly associating with him.  
  
Tomoyo flew over the Underground district that day, looking for the fastest route to the Commons district, where the middle class lived. It would be a risk for her to go into the Commons district, but it was a chance she was willing to take. She entered the bar. Eli was already there. She only half listened to his conversation. Finally, she looked him straight in the eye and said, "Come, take a walk with me." Tomoyo turned and left, Eli did not follow her immediately. "That was not a suggestion Eli," Tomoyo said, stopping.  
  
Eriol caught up with Phoenix before she started walking again. Eriol wondered what the Phoenix could possibly want with him. He also kept an eye out for the two men he felt sure would follow him. Barely five minutes later, he saw those two men following them. "You know we're being followed right?" he asked quietly and quickly.  
  
"Just pretend you don't know they're there," Tomoyo responded in an equally quiet tone. She speed up the pace. "This is the quickest route to the Commons district. What I need to say to you I'll say when we get there. I'm sorry in advance." Eriol was confused by that last part. What was the Phoenix sorry about?  
  
They reached the Commons District. Tomoyo turned around, facing Eli and the Underground. She could see movement behind them that told her the two spies were still there. "Eli. Those two men who are following me have been doing so for many months now," Tomoyo said quietly. "I think they are getting ready to strike." She hesitated for a moment.  
  
Eriol guessed what she wanted. "So you want me to help you?"  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "Look here," she got his attention and pulled out something from her sleeve, being careful to block what she was taking out from the view of everyone but herself and Eli. "This knife. Be very careful with it. Keep it sheathed unless you want to kill yourself. See the colored edges? Poison. Instantaneous effect. Very expensive. Here's two. Show them to no one. Hide them in your sleeve for now." Tomoyo handed the knives to Eli, who didn't take them immediately. She looked up at him. "Unless you don't want to help..."  
  
"Oh, no, I do. I do want to help you. I was...I was just wondering why me?" he answered taking the knives.  
  
"I like your style," she said winking. "Is that all?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh, one more thing. This is dangerous. You can't attack them unless they attack first because you're new."  
  
"So, why don't you just kill them now? They're right there," Eriol said.  
  
"Phoenix never attacks unless she is provoked," she said icily. "Don't do anything stupid." Tomoyo walked quickly away, melting into the crowded Commons District. Eriol watched her disappear before he headed for the Parks district to find a cab. Tomoyo found a secluded spot and shifted into her bird form, flying home.  
  
Eriol sat in his room that afternoon exuberant. Phoenix had winked at him. She had asked for his help. She liked his style. He sighed to himself. Yes, he was a privileged man to be working with Phoenix. He played that scene over and over again in his mind. Eriol wanted to make sure he would never forget that. Suddenly, he remembered the knives Phoenix had given to him. He looked at them carefully. The hilts were plain but the metal of the blades were of the highest quality, and if what Phoenix had said about the poison was true, then just these two would have cost even an Elite a pretty penny. Of course, one would naturally expect someone like Phoenix to be extremely wealthy.  
  
He locked the two knives in his personal safe. Even his parents didn't know he had a safe in his room. It was in his closet, disguised as a row of shoeboxes. He pressed his forefinger to the sensor and the lid popped open. Next time he went to the Underground, he would be sure to carry these with him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU COULDN'T HEAR WHAT THEY WERE SAYING?????" Spiral roared at his two henchmen, Shrimp, the big one, and Guy, the small one. It was late at night, the patrons had left and it was time to find out what information these two buffoons had found. Too bad they didn't find any  
  
Guy shifted in his seat, his constant movement annoyed Spiral. "Hey, we didn't wanna risk it. She keeps weapons concealed and at the ready."  
  
Shrimp dimly added, "Yeah, we didn't wanna risk it."  
  
"That's not an excuse. You know I expect top work from the two of you."  
  
Guy laughed. "Spiral, you're stupid. You're crap. If you wanted to get top work you should have hired someone else." He laughed again. "Oh wait, that's right, you're too damn poor to hire anyone but us!" Guy almost fell off his chair laughing. Shrimp, not understanding why Guy was laughing, laughed along anyways.  
  
Spiral turned reddish-purple. "Shut the hell up. How to you know I don't have a secret stash hidden away from prying eyes?  
  
"_Come on_ Spiral. Don't be dim, we investigate all our employers," Guy said. Spiral was furious. Shrimp looked like he was thinking.  
  
"Um...I think she gave something to him and then she winked at him," Shrimp said after much thought.  
  
"She what?" asked Spiral, not quite believing what he was hearing.  
  
"Yeah, she did give him something, and then she winked at him. Good observing Shrimp." Guy patted his not so bright accomplice's back. Spiral's expression looked like he had just ate a bag of lemons. "Hey, cheer up Spiral. The kid's probably just a client."  
  
"A client that's getting too close for comfort," Spiral muttered.  
  
"Who made you her keeper? Why are you so damn interested in Phoenix anyways?"  
  
"None of your business. I hired the two of you to watch her, not to pry into my life."  
  
"You're flirting with death, Spiral." Guy had said this almost every time he reported back to Spiral. Spiral never listened. "C'mon Shrimp, let's go."  
  
As the two left, Sprial slumped back into his seat. This was depressing. Sure the Eli kid could just be a client, but either way, Phoenix was treating Eli too nicely. Things just weren't fair. Five years of trying to get close to her and all he had gotten was orders. If Eli got any closer, he would have to be eliminated.   
  
  
  
  
  
a/n: feel free to make suggestions on what you think should happen, because I know how I want the last half of the story to go, but i'm suffering severe writers block on the first half...hehe 


	7. On your own

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
**The Great one** - I'm using your idea of Eriol being good with guns..I already had Tomoyo being good with knives....thanx   
  
  
  


**_On your own_**

  
  
  
Tomoyo sighed. She wanted to see what Eli was capable of by himself, so she decided not to return to the Underground for a while. Elite social life was suffocating her; there were so many rules, and all day, everyday was preparation for a party. Tomoyo had trouble believing that she had once enjoyed this life. Blasphemy. The shear fakeness of it all made Tomoyo want to jump up and scream, but she couldn't because a good, young, unattached Elite woman needed to be demure. Her Elite friends often invited her over and as usual, she went to some and declined others. They could see that Tomoyo was different from them, more detached, more idealistic. Sometimes, she could almost feel the resentment coming from them.  
  
After two weeks of living like this, Tomoyo was about ready to snap. She needed a dose of reality, _real_ reality. It was time to go to the Underground.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Phoenix had not given him any instructions, but he had a hunch that she wanted him to try and do something anyways. Eriol decided to try to find out who the men were employed by. Listening to the conversations between the two men, Eriol decided that the large one was the stupid one. In the Underground, where survival of the fittest was completely true, Eriol wondered why the large one hadn't been ditched by his over-active sidekick.  
  
One night, Eriol stayed until the Jester was almost ready to close. He hid behind a pile of boxes, waiting for the last customer to leave. The lights went out completely. A flickering of light from one window caught Eriol's eye. He cautiously looked into the window. Sure enough, there were the two men. The light was flickering because they were using an oil lamp. A device so rarely used that Eriol had only seen pictures of them.  
  
The men looked like they were waiting for someone. The little one moved around, talking to his partner. Eriol wished he could read lips, so he could tell what they were saying. Someone walked up. It was a man. He stood there for a moment, his face was not visible. Then he sat down. The light of the lamp made it difficult to see the face, but Eriol recognized him. Spiral.  
  
_What would a bartender be doing, hiring spies too look after Phoenix?_ he wondered. Now he really wished he could read lips. He quickly walked away. There was probably nothing more he could find out and staying any longer would probably put him in danger. Now that he was pretty sure who was behind the spies, what could he do? What would the bartender possible want with Phoenix? Eriol chewed on these thoughts until he got home, where his mother immediately besieged him with questions. He answered them vaguely, then pleading fatigue, he went to bed.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Spiral had thought long and hard about his next move. He had no way of knowing the next time Phoenix would show up, so he had to think quick. He told the Shrimp and Guy that the next time Eli got close with Phoenix. Wait and see what Phoenix's reaction was and then come tell him. That was the only thing he could think of to do.  
  
His headaches were turning worse. He couldn't concentrate as easily. If his health problems continued, he would be in trouble; in his years in the Underground, Spiral had made many enemies who would jump at the chance to kill him. He didn't even think that maybe someone had already gotten to him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sonomi wanted to make sure Tomoyo had no clue what she was really up to...so she "accidentally" told her daughter that she was planning her 19th birthday party. Sonomi congratulated herself for thinking up such a brilliant white lie.  
  
She _was_ planning Tomoyo's birthday, but she had started months ago and was finished with that. Now she was planning her wedding. Sonomi had learned that Tomoyo was very sensitive to the issue and upon discussion with Edith Hiragizawa, she discovered that Eriol too, was not particularly receptive.  
  
The two women decided that the best way to handle the situation was to not let either of them know. They had already settled on a date. One week after Tomoyo's birthday, little more than five months away. The details were still in the works.  
  
Betrothals were still common among the Elite. When she was young, almost everyone was betrothed. Her case, choosing her own husband, was unusual at the time and when they had separated, her parents said it was because she had poor judgment. They had almost disowned her. That was five years ago.  
  
Tomoyo had grown so reclusive since then. Sonomi didn't know her daughter's schedule, but she did know that Tomoyo went out during the day a lot. She often wondered what Tomoyo did in the mornings, but never asked. She did know that Tomoyo had taken hand-to-hand combat classes for a while, what for though, Sonomi would never be able to guess.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Guy and Shrimp left the Jester. Guy could see visible effects of fatigue on Spiral's face. _He_ knew exactly what was going on with Spiral. Shrimp had no clue. Guy didn't think Shrimp even noticed Spiral's appearance.  
  
Years ago, Spiral had been responsible for the death of Shrimp's parents and his older brother, Cari. Guy and Cari were friends and Cari had made Guy promise that he would take care of Shrimp for him. Guy swore to avenge Cari's death.  
  
No doubt, Spiral remembered the killing, but he did not know that Guy had been there too, hidden away in a dumpster, watching, horrified at the murder of his best friends. Since then, Guy had waited patiently for a chance to get him. He secretly delighted when Spiral walked up to him and hired him. Guy dared not tell Shrimp what was going on. If Shrimp knew, he would tell accidentally. Shrimp wasn't too bright.  
  
Guy bought a poison. He was looking for one that would cause a slow painful death for Spiral. Guy was enjoying watching Spiral die. Sometimes, he just wanted to jump up and kill him right off, but his more sensible side took over and he always decided that watching Spiral die would be much more fun if it were spread over a long period of time.  
  
Spiral had given them instructions to kill Phoenix and Eli if necessary. Guy didn't like that. He was always a sucker for love and he could see that Eli simply worshiped the ground Phoenix walked on. Come to think of it, Spiral did too, but Spiral was taking his worship to the point of fanatical obsession.  
  
At least he would be dying soon.   
  
  
  
  
a/n: I know, i know, Cari was a dumb name, but since I'm most likely not using him again....  
...any ideas on how the story should go? 


	8. lil' timorous beastie

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
chichirui - random hailbuts from imaginary cannons huh?? WEll, then, I'll just haveto bring out the chopsticks of doom and spork of death and EAT THEM UP!!!!!!! muahahahahahahaha!!! lol.   
  
  
  


**_lil' timorous beastie_**

  
  
  
Eriol bumped into Phoenix on his way to the Jester one day. "I found out who's hiring the spies."  
  
"Oh really? Who?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Spiral."  
  
"You're kidding me. He barely has enough money to feed himself, where's he gonna get the money to hire two spies?" She was shocked.  
  
"Apparently, he does. Oh, he also suffers from constant head pain, but he hides it where there are customers around."  
  
"Impressive." She didn't speak for a while. "What do you think we should do next?"  
  
Eriol thought for a moment. "I think we should wait for them to make their next move. They've been following you for a while, but they haven't done anything. I think that they're going to do something soon because during that whole time you weren't here, Spiral only meet with the men once. When you are here, those men stay after every day. Spiral must have given them new instructions."  
  
"Indeed. Good thinking. We also have to act like we don't know about Spiral. And you have to act like you're a client, so don't purposely come and find me. Ever. I will come and find you."  
  
Eriol nodded. "Gotcha."  
  
Tomoyo turned around and left. She had no stomach for pretending today. If she wanted to pretend, she could go home and pretend all she wanted. She had never really trusted Spiral, Tomoyo never got close to anyone from the Underground...except...except for Eli, and goodness knows what made her do that!  
  
Tomoyo sighed to herself. Things here were getting much too complicated for her own comfort, especially since they were involving her. Half way home, she changed her mind and flew back to the Underground. She was going to spy on Spiral. As soon as she landed some where safe, she shifted into a mouse and scampered to the Jester. She could easily move around unnoticed because her coat was a dirty grey. Slipping in through a crack in the door, she stationed herself under the table where the two spies were sitting.  
  
Tomoyo sat and waited. And waited. And waited. It must have been close to closing time. Her mother would be worried, but Tomoyo decided that this was much more important. People were leaving, in fact, the two spies were about to leave as well, but then they suddenly sat down. It was odd that the two had not said a single word the whole day.   
  
A third person walked over to the table and sat down. "I'm tired of waiting," that was Spiral's voice. _So,_ Tomoyo thought to herself, _Eli was right. Spiral does have enough money to get spies._  
  
"Kill him," Spiral said.  
  
"Kill him? For no reason?" one of the spies asked.  
  
"When he's with Phoenix. Kill him." Tomoyo's heart almost stopped. Kill. Eli?  
  
"I don't like that, Spiral, I don't like that at all. Shrimp, what do you think?"  
  
"Duuuuhhhh...I don't like it either."  
  
"Shut up Guy, you too Shrimp. I didn't hire the two of you to sit here and try to sway me. Get moving." The men were getting ready to leave. Tomoyo steadied herself, shifted to a fly and hid on the pant leg of one of the men. She could feel the vibrations of the men walking and then a sudden gust of wind as they walked out into the night.  
  
She flew away and landed in a dark spot, shifting to a mouse and seeing if there was anyone near by. Seeing no one, she shifted into a bird and flew home. As she suspected, her mother was in her room, pacing. She saw a bird at the window and opened it. "Tomoyo Daidouji! Where have you been, don't ever do that again!"  
  
Tomoyo was in no mood to deal with her mother. "Mother, Please, get out of my room. I needed some time by myself."  
  
"You missed you appointments with your tailor and your hair dresser. And I was worried sick!!"  
  
"I know, I'm sorry mother. I won't do that ever again."  
  
"Tomoyo, you've been disappearing a lot lately, where do you go?"  
  
"Out. Mother, Please, I want to be alone right now."  
  
Sonomi looked closely at her daughter. She looked more tired than usual and she also looked genuinely upset. What had happened? She sighed. It would be no use asking Tomoyo. Sonomi could only hope that Tomoyo would come to her someday. She walked out of Tomoyo's room. "Well. Good night then, my child."  
  
Tomoyo sat down on her bed. Her hands were twitching a little bit and her heart was aching. Why should she be worrying about Eli? He could take care of himself. She had been in more dangerous situations than this and not even blinked. What was wrong with her? Tomoyo shook her head and reprimanded herself. Her emotions had never threatened to overwhelm her so much.  
  
Why did she want to save Eli? _Maybe I'm just feeling this way because I'm tired...._ she thought. Tomoyo went to clean herself up. After she was done she was still feeling the same way. To fatigued to control her mind, unwanted thoughts invaded: _I don't get it._ Tomoyo walked over to her bed. _Love doesn't exist....does it?_   
  
  
  
  



	9. Shoot

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
i guess this chapter would make this a strong pg-13....you have been warned.   
  
  
  


**_Shoot_**

  
  
  
Tomoyo stayed at home for the next month. Sonomi thought her daughter was ill because she locked herself away in her room for hours at a time. When Tomoyo found out, she obligingly pretended that she was interested in the affairs of the Elite world; she really just wanted to find out about affairs of the heart.  
  
Since that night, almost four weeks ago, the question of love had constantly plagued her. Every time she thought of Eli, her heartbeat would speed up, so she tried to avoid thinking about him...the problem was, she couldn't. Tomoyo was afraid that her mumbo-jumbo feelings would cause her to do something stupid and risk Eli's life even more than it already was.  
  
Something else had started bothering her as well. Why was Spiral so interested in her? This question, recently had weighed more heavily on her than anything else. Did he want money? A new identity? A new life? Or...this scared her...could he possibly be wanting....her?  
  
Tomoyo took to wandering the streets one day and ended up in the Underground. She went into the Jester. Eli wasn't there. Good. She sat down in her normal seat and watched Spiral very closely.  
  
He did look extremely fatigued. The bags under his eyes were more pronounced than usual and he would clench his jaw a lot, as if he were trying to keep from showing any other expression. Tomoyo wondered how much pain he was in. If she could get a good look at his eyes, she would be able to tell what was bothering him, but the lighting in the bar wasn't very good and Spiral had dark eyes.  
  
"Hello, Phoenix." Tomoyo's heart skipped a beat and she almost jumped out of her chair. Eli. Tomoyo took a good look at him. He was so gorgeous. _What am I thinking? No one from the Underground...or should I perhaps make an exception??_ Tomoyo cast a glance in his direction again. _YYYYYEEEESSSSSS!! I should make an exception...NONONONONONONONO! What the heck?_  
  
Eli had catalyzed something in her. Something she could not very well explain, and it scared her. She had the notion that what she was feeling was not quite sensible, but that her heart still insisted on jumping when ever his image popped into her mind! The nerve!  
  
Her consternation must have been showing up on her face. "Are you ok?" Eli queried.  
  
Tomoyo's heart told her to say no and go to him for comfort, but her head told her to maintain her "ice queen" attitude. "I'm perfectly fine," she scathingly replied. Eli winced and Tomoyo saw. She felt awful for making him feel bad.  
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Eriol couldn't help but notice Phoenix's expression. She was going through some kind of internal battle and not hiding it very well. Finally she burst out. "Well, do you have it?"  
  
Eriol was confused for a short time. Then he remembered. He was her client. "No."  
  
"Leave." Tomoyo caught his eye and for a split second, let raw emotion show on her face. "Leave."  
  
Eriol didn't quite understand. Did she really want him to leave, or did she want him to hang around outside? Did she purposely give her a pleading look, or was he just flattering himself? Eli left the Jester and waited close by.  
  
Spiral watched Eli's departure with glee. His way was clear. Much to his dismay, Phoenix left soon after. As if she had changed her mind about something. He nodded to his spies and they followed her out the door. Spiral sighed inwardly. His head was hurting again and a customer was yelling for him. Phoenix would have to wait another day.  
  
Tomoyo easily caught up with Eli. They walked for a while. "Get out of here before it's too late," she whispered from the side of her mouth. She could see the two spies, Guy and Shrimp, following closely.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"There are people who want you dead for being around me."  
  
Eriol thought for a moment. "They don't know who they're messing with then," he solemnly pronounced.  
  
Tomoyo could not believe her ears. Eli was a rookie in the Underground. What did he know that could save him? She stopped and looked at him. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into," she glared and hoped that she didn't sound too much like she was begging.  
  
Eriol reached into his coat pocket. "Duck." He pulled Phoenix down to the ground just as a knife whizzed past her. Eriol brought out a small pistol and started shooting at where the two spies were. He was a very good shot. Tomoyo heard two sets of feet running, then a moan and only one set of feet was running. Eli must have killed one.  
  
She looked in wonder at Eli. The cool look of concentration on his face reminded her of herself. Now she knew for sure that Eli had broken the iron curtain she had drawn around her heart. Maybe love did exist after all. "You killed one of them."  
  
"Did I? How can you tell?"  
  
"I have excellent hearing."  
  
Eli reached out his hand to help her up. For a moment, their faces were perilously close. Once again, Tomoyo's head and heart told her two different things. She followed her head and looked away. She wanted to pull her hand away too, and at the same time, she wanted it to stay with his; she didn't know what she wanted. Eriol looked at Phoenix. She was falling in love with him! Eriol touched her face; her skin was surprisingly soft. She turned red. "Eli...I...I...I have to go." Phoenix tugged her hand away from him and ran away.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Guy limped back to the Jester. A bullet had grazed him. He had tried to save Shrimp, but that would have gotten himself killed. Guy _really_ wanted to see Spiral die. Spiral was furious when he found out that one of his spies had gotten killed and the other wanted out of the job.  
  
"You're on this job until I tell you otherwise, Guy."  
  
"Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what to do?" Guy had to struggle to keep from blurting out his true plans. Shrimp's death was just another life Guy needed to get revenge for. Spiral was perilously close to dying, only a few more days of poison. Two weeks. Tops! But Guy already had enough of being used by Spiral in his little game for Phoenix.   
  
"The man who pays you money."  
  
Guy emptied a glass of beer. "Well, I'm out. If you're so interested in killing Eli, kill him yourself." He rose and got ready to leave. Right as he stepped out the door though, Spiral stabbed him. Guy turned around, and threw a powder into Spiral's face. "You may have my life, but I already have my revenge." With that, Guy fell onto the floor, unconscious forever.   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Tomoyo shifted into a bird and flew home. The day's events had seriously shaken her. Eli was not just any Underground man. He was probably someone else....the way she wasn't really just Phoenix.  
  
Guns were expensive. Knives were easily obtained. Unless you had money, you could not get a gun. His aim was steady and sure, showing that he had the time and money to go find a place to practice. That and her heart had betrayed her. She had once vowed that she would never fall in love, yet here she was, lusting after the one man she probably could never have!  
  
All this time, she had been falling in love and she did not realize it until it was too late to quash the feeling. What had she gotten herself into this time?  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. The foot

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
Sorry it took so long to update....i lost my "muse" for a little bit...that and i needed to catch up in physics...yeah...this chapter would be a strong pg-13 too....you have been warned. if i told you which part i really hated writing, that would give away the chapter.   
  
  
  


**_the Foot_**

  
  
  
At first, Spiral was nervous. Now he had no one to kill Eli for him. He would gladly go to the job himself, but he had done so too many times. At the end, Guy had thrown something into his face. It made his eyes sting and his head woozy. After he had cleaned up the mess, he had thrown up. After that, his headaches had returned with greater fury than before. What did Guy mean by muttering that think about revenge?  
  
He calmed down however, when the relationship between Eli and Phoenix seemed to end. Reality was, that Eriol was afraid the Phoenix might reject him and Tomoyo was afraid that Eli might not want anything to do with her, so they simply, avoided each other, only casting covetous glances at one another when they thought the other wasn't looking.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Edith Hiragizawa was a nervous wreck. Tomoyo Daidouji's birthday was in two weeks. The children would be married in three. She needed to tell Eriol, but her son was nowhere to be found! When he finally came home that afternoon, she sat him down and told him. "You will be married in three weeks."  
  
"Might I ask to whom?"  
  
"Tomoyo Daidouji."  
  
"Mother, I've never met the woman!" Eriol protested.  
  
"You'll like her."  
  
"I've never met her!"  
  
"She's turning nineteen in two weeks. You will attend her birthday celebration."  
  
"I will?"  
  
"If you don't, I'll see to it that the seven days between your wedding and her party are the most miserable seven days of you life," Edith threatened emptily.  
  
"Fine, fine, I'll go." Eriol threw his hands up in despair and left the room.  
  
Three weeks of bachelorhood and that was it. Tomoyo Daidouji was beautiful to be sure..._but she's not Phoenix,_ he said to himself. He would have to make a move on her soon or else he would miss his chance.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Eriol went to find Phoenix the next day. "I have another job for you," he said, hoping that that would get them away from prying ears. It did. Spiral watched them leave jealously. He might have to interfere if they started to get too friendly.  
  
Eriol led her to a quiet spot. "We aren't being followed. Isn't that nice for a change?" he asked lightly.  
  
Phoenix nodded. She was afraid to say anything lest she give away her feelings. Eriol couldn't stand the quiet any more, so he did the only thing he could think of. He kissed her softly.  
  
Tomoyo's eye's widened. She didn't want him to stop, but when he did, she looked at him through new eyes. Here was the man who had softened her heart and wasn't afraid of her. This was the kind of man she wanted. Too bad he wasn't Elite.  
  
"Will you kiss me again?" she asked timidly. "You've tamed yourself a Phoenix." They kissed again, with more passion, desire, lust, zeal. Tomoyo melted against Eli's chest. At that point in time, she would have walked through fire for him. The fact that Eli was so close yet so far away, drove Tomoyo crazy. She broke the kiss.  
  
"I shouldn't have started," he apologized.  
  
They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment. "I still love you though," she said.  
  
Eriol nodded. "I'm getting married in three weeks." Phoenix winced. "I don't love the woman I'm marrying though, I've never meet her, it's an arranged marriage. Please. Let me be happy with you for this next month," he pleaded.  
  
Tomoyo nodded and kissed his cheek. "Be happy with me. I wish you the best of luck in your marriage."  
  
Eli pulled Phoenix into a rough embrace and buried his face in her hair. She smelled so wonderful, like vanilla. "Three weeks is a short time."  
  
"We'll make the best of it." She sniffed. Eli looked down. She was crying.  
  
"Why are you crying?" He wiped away her tears.  
  
"Self-pity. Don't worry about me."  
  
"I will always worry for you. I will always love you, my dear Phoenix." They kissed again, tears streaming down Tomoyo's face and going onto Eli's  
  
"I should go now then. I'll try and come back soon," Tomoyo whispered.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Spiral was quite surprised when Phoenix and Eli walked into the bar _together_ and **holding hands**. He clearly had missed something the day before when they left together. He cursed himself. So, now, he was going to have to really do something to Eli. It would be hard following them without spies. He had to wait for a time when he could follow them. That would be difficult since he was the only bartender, but it was his only choice if he was to get Phoenix.  
  
Then one day, a week later, his chance came. It was noon and business had quieted down a little bit. Phoenix and Eli left. Spiral snuck after them, making sure his dagger was ready. Tomoyo noticed that they were again being followed. She didn't tell Eli though. When the two of them stopped, she could tell that it was Spiral. A dozen wild plans swept through her head. She finally settled on one.  
  
Abruptly, she pulled Eli and herself against a wall. As they kissed, she pulled out one of her famous poison knives from her sleeve. She made sure that Spiral saw it, but not Eli. "Kiss my neck," she whispered to him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Kiss my neck! Hurry!" she said, more urgently. Slowly, she brought her arms around him. The dagger poised to strike. Spiral saw what he though Phoenix was about to do and put his own dagger away, satisfied that Phonix was going to do what he wanted. Tomoyo say Spiral's triumphant face. She raised the dagger as if to plung it into her lover's back, but at the last moment, she changed her grip ever so slightly and threw it at Spiral.  
  
The knife landed on one of Spiral's toes. He knew about her knives and quickly drew out his dagger, pulled his foot our of his shoe and cut off the front of his foot. He tore off his sleeve and wrapped his foot in it. Spiral was so consumed by his anger that he didn't even notice the pain.  
  
Tomoyo saw Spiral suddenly run away. She must not have gotten him if he was still walking around. She relaxed. "We shouldn't go to the Jester anymore," she said, running her fingers through Eli's hair.  
  
"Why is that?" he asked, looking up.  
  
"I just hit Spiral with a knife, I think. Going back would not be a good idea."  
  
"No. I guess it wouldn't. We can risk it though."  
  
Her hand flew to her neck all of a sudden. "You didn't give me a hickie did you?"  
  
"Just a little one."  
  
"That's gonna be hell to cover up," she muttered to herself.  
  
"Two more weeks."  
  
"Don't remind me."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Spiral limped his way through the rest of the day. His foot was killing him, but at least he was alive. His head was pounding and his eye sight was getting blurry. He blamed it on tiredness and the trauma of having to cut off part of his foot.  
  
At night, he tried to examine his wound, but he couldn't, so he just left it. His head pains always got worse at night, even when he didn't drink. He left his foot alone, but did try to wash it. For the first time in his life, he wished that he had not been an foundling in the Underground.   
  
  
  
  
a/n: eewwww....i had so much trouble writing about him cutting off his foot. they did it in the real cinderella fairytale...that's where I got the idea from, but i was grossed out by that too. 


	11. Baby it's a party

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
I've been looking forward to writing this chapter for such a long time hehe...;)   
  
  
  


**_Baby, it's a party_**

  
  
  
The day dawned bright and clear. Tomoyo woke up with the birds, determined to go through this day happy. This was the first time in two weeks where she would not be able to see her Eli, but since he was a secret, she would be unable to mope about it. None of the servants were awake yet, so Tomoyo tried to make breakfast for herself.  
  
Sonomi awoke to an angrily uttered oath and the sound of clattering pots. Throwing on a bathrobe, she ran downstairs, expecting to see a servant who had hurt herself and instead, seeing her daughter, who had just burnt some bacon and dropped a hot pan on the floor. Sonomi was astonished. "Tomoyo! What are you doing? You know you could have just asked a servant to make breakfast."  
  
"Well, I didn't want to. Besides, I've been up for a while now," Tomoyo said apologetically.  
  
"You have a busy day ahead of you. I really want you to look your best tonight," she said, _because tonight is when Eriol Hiragizawa is going to be blown away,_ she added silently.  
  
"What do I need to do?"  
  
"Technically, you have the whole day to yourself until around three. But, I know you like to leave home during the day, don't leave home," Sonomi ordered.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Eriol would not be able to see his beloved Phoenix today. Today, his mother was making him stay home because of Tomoyo Daidouji's birthday party. He had to look his best. Apparently, Tomoyo didn't know that they were getting married, so Eriol was ordered to act like any other guest at the party.  
  
This was strictly going to be an Elite affair. Tomoyo hated press and Sonomi Daidouji made sure that there would be no pesky reporters to report on her daughter's birthday. Eriol had to admire Sonomi for being able to pull that trick off. Tomoyo was hailed as the belle of the Elite, just like he was apparently drop dead gorgeous; normally, reporters would want to be anywhere any of those two were. He sighed.  
  
Eriol really didn't care who he married until now. _Tomoyo is probably going to be prissy and perfect._ He envisioned a woman who cared only about her appearance and had to make sure that every eyelash was curled and every nail was painted. Eriol shuddered. He wanted someone who was more daring and carefree, like Phoenix.  
  
Eriol sighed again. Today was going to be a long day.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The guests started coming at six. Tomoyo welcomed them all graciously. Most of the invited were people she knew and were friends with. A few were people she hated and some were people she had never met. It was a good thing her mother had made this party reporter free, or else Tomoyo would have had a very hard time acting like she was enjoying herself. Tomoyo's close friends, Melly and Greta, suddenly saw someone at the door. They were surprised not only because this person came unusually late but also because of who he was. Eyes wide, they rushed back to Tomoyo.  
  
"Tomoyo, hunni. You'll never _believe_ who else got invited!" Melly excitedly whispered.  
  
"Try me," she responded wryly. Tomoyo had been surprised half the people her mother invited had even shown up.  
  
"Eriol Hiragizawa!!!!!" Greta squealed, "isn't he cute????"  
  
Eriol stood in the doorway and looked around for Tomoyo. He was supposed to go wish her a happy birthday. She was standing a little ways away from most everyone else, talking with two of her friends. He made his way to her. One of them saw him and told the others. Tomoyo smiled a smile that did not reach her eyes. Tomoyo stepped forward and held out her hand. "I've tried to greet all my guests, but it would seem my mother added more people to the guest list than I had anticipated and my efforts to welcome everyone have been thwarted." Tomoyo had only wanted to shake hands with him but he bent over and kissed it instead.  
  
Tomoyo raised her eyebrows. "Pictures of you do not give you enough credit; you're much more beautiful in person," Eriol said in his most charming voice.  
  
She heard Melly gasp. "If you're expecting me to swoon over that comment, forget it." Greta coughed.  
  
Eriol grinned at Tomoyo's response and at her friend's reactions. "My mother tells me you are like a younger version of your mother."  
  
"Really? How so?" Tomoyo asked, intrigued.  
  
"I distinctly remember an article about you in the news reels a few months back..."  
  
"I remember. I was in a horrid mood that day," she replied frostily.  
  
Eriol looked around, an ice carving on the buffet table caught his eye. "That bird. The ice sculpture on the table. What is it?"  
  
"A Phoenix."  
  
"Interesting. You're a shape shifter? I take it the phoenix is your favored form?"  
  
"Indeed. If you'll excuse me..." Tomoyo picked up her skirts and left him standing there with a perplexed look on his face. Melly and Greta followed her.  
  
Eriol watched Tomoyo very closely the rest of the night, trying to imagine what life would be like with her. She winked once. She smiled a genuine smile a few times. She looked very familiar. As he took a drink of punch, it hit him. He choked on the drink and nearly dropped the glass. He was afraid that his new revelation was a trick his mind was pulling on him because he desperately wanted it to be so. He watched this perplexing creature named Tomoyo Daidouji for a few more minutes and was convinced. She was his Phoenix.  
  
Now what was he going to do? What should he tell her tomorrow? Should he pretend like he didn't know for another week? Would he even be capable of doing that for another week? Was there a reason she didn't know about her own wedding?  
  
_You should tell her as soon as possible,_ said a little voice in his head.  
  
_There's probably a reason she doesn't know she's getting married. I should keep it a secret._ he said.  
  
_NO! You should tell her._  
  
_Shut up. I'm keeping it a secret._  
  
_You should tell her,_ that crazy little voice just had to have the last word. Eriol threw his hands in the air, "I give up," he said to himself. The people around him gave him funny looks. What was the governor's son doing?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
So, Eriol decided to keep his secret for another week. He could wait, or so he thought. He ended up slipping a note to Phoenix one day. _Oakwood plaza, Parks District, Midnight_ it read. Phoenix/Tomoyo looked at him and nodded.  
  
Tomoyo showed up early that night. The plaza was not very well lit. There was a street light at every corner and at the center, but they were all very dim, since it _was_ the middle of the night. She saw a figure walk towards her. Eli. She ran to him and gave him a kiss. "Why did you want to see me this late?" she asked.  
  
"Tomorrow is my last free day," he said.  
  
"Yes, but that still doesn't answer my question," she slid her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. "What was so important that you couldn't tell me in the Underground?"  
  
Eriol hesitated. He took a deep breath. "I know who you are...Tomoyo Daidouji."   
  
  
  
  
a/n: dun dun dun!!!! the suspense! How is Tomoyo going to react? 


	12. Tomoyo and Eriol/Phoenix and Eli

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
  
  
  
  


**_Tomoyo and Eriol/Phoenix and Eli_**

  
  
  
The smile on Tomoyo's face vanished. She raised her head and pushed herself slightly away from him. "How do you know that?" she asked, breathless.  
  
"I was at your party."  
  
"Who are you?" It was hard to breath.  
  
"It's best if you don't know."  
  
Tomoyo's hands fell limply to her side. Eriol wanted to tell he so badly that she needed be sad because they'd be spending the rest of their lives together, but he told himself again. _There's a reason she doesn't know about the wedding._  
  
Eriol looked at Tomoyo. Her shoulders quaked. She was crying. Eriol held her face in his hands. "What's wrong my dear?"  
  
"I...I'm...I'm getting married too. But, I don't know to who or when. If only I knew who you were, the two of us might have had a chance!" She sobbed into her hands.  
  
To this, Eriol could not respond, except to hug her, and kiss her forehead and hope that she would understand when she found out. When she calmed down, she looked up at him and said, "I'm not coming tomorrow. I'm not going back ever."  
  
"That was the other thing I was going to ask you to do. Never go back to the Underground."  
  
She nodded. "Kiss me again?" He did. She kissed him back with more hunger and fervor than ever before. "I'll miss you so much," she whispered into his ear when they parted.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll never be very far away. I have to go now. One more kiss my love?"  
  
Tomoyo shook her head and backed away from him. She shifted into her Phoenix form, never breaking eye contact with him. She flew into the air, circling above him a few times before she flew away. Eriol watched, captivated and left when his Phoenix was no longer in sight.   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Two days later, Tomoyo woke up to find her mother weeping over her. "Mother, what's the matter?"  
  
"Never mind, my child, get dressed. Wear that sky blue dress, the one that leaves off at your shoulders. And those new silk gloves. Oh I got you something. You'll like them," Sonomi said, handing Tomoyo a box.  
  
She opened it to find a set of opal earrings and an necklace with an opal, tear drop shaped pendant. "What's the occasion?"  
  
Sonomi sat down next to her daughter. "Tomoyo, my dear, you must not be angry at me for not telling you earlier."  
  
"Promise."  
  
"You're getting married today."  
  
Tomoyo sat in shock. Today! Well, after Eli, she really didn't have anything else to look forward too. "All right mother," she said curtly. "Let me get dressed."  
  
Sonomi quietly helped her Tomoyo ready herself. "What's going to happen?" asked Tomoyo.  
  
"It's going to be a quiet ceremony. Just me, you, the boy, and his family."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Your new house."  
  
"And then what?"  
  
"There'll be a banquet the next day."  
  
"Why is it so early?"  
  
"It's not. I was afraid of your reaction, so you're going to go see the house first. The boy has already seen it. That and I let you sleep in today...It's one in the afternoon."  
  
One in the afternoon, no wonder she felt so refreshed. "Who is the boy?"  
  
"Eriol Hiragizawa."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sonomi and Tomoyo's car stopped in front of a huge mansion, a moving truck was right behind them. Tomoyo gaped. "I'm going to live here?"  
  
"See why we came so early?"  
  
Tomoyo nodded sadly. As Sonomi directed the movers, Tomoyo looked around. It was a good thing all the stairs led back to one main staircase, or else she would have had on heck of a time finding her way around the house. Had she any siblings, this house would have been perfect for Hide-and-Seek. Her mother walked past her with two movers, carrying the makeshift closet she had packed all her clothes in. "Come, Tomoyo, let me show you your room."  
  
Sonomi threw open the doors to a luxurious looking room. Tomoyo walked over to the windows and drew back the curtains. The windows went from her waist to the ceiling. There were six of them in a row. There was a door that led to a balcony overlooking a garden. Tomoyo looked in the closet; her husband-to-be had already settled himself in. She was almost finished unpacking when the doorbell rang. She couldn't hear what has being said, but did she really need to? Who else could it be except for the Hiragizawas?  
  
Tomoyo sighed, got up, and soothed her nerves. She walked to the main stair case without being noticed. She decided to call some attention to herself. "What? No priest?"  
  
Everyone looked up at her as she slowly descended the stairs. Eriol had decided not to wear contacts today. She had not recognized him at her party when he was without his glasses; today, he wanted to be recognized. Eriol kept his eyes glued on Tomoyo. There was his Phoenix, more beautiful than ever, what would he say to her?  
  
She came down the steps, she could feel the heated gaze of the younger Hiragizawa, Eriol, focused on her. Her cheeks burned with shame at being objectified so. What she didn't know was that Eriol was putting her up on a pedestal, but not in the negative manner she imagined. He watched her closely drinking in all her girlish movements and blessed them. He worshiped her, he wanted her, he craved her.  
  
Sonomi introduced Tomoyo, who lowered her eyes out of respect. Eriol held out his hand. "Ahhh, yes. The _Pheonix_ girl," he said with a slight emphasis on the Phoenix that caused Tomoyo to look up. What she saw took her by surprise. Eli? She couldn't believe it. All she could hear was the pounding of her heart. A light blush rose in her cheeks as Eriol/Eli's stare seemed to penetrate her to the very core of her being.  
  
What he had said to her two nights ago, "I'll never be far away," came to mind. He must have known then, the little traitor. Her light-headedness was replaced by irritation as she realized that he had kept a little secret from her.  
  
"I've seen you before...else where." A question and a statement to confirm what her mind told her.  
  
Eriol chuckled. "You probably have." He nodded his head ever so slightly to acknowledge her unspoken question.  
  
Harold Hiragizawa coughed. "Well, Miss. Daidouji, there's no priest because technically I have the power to marry the two of you."  
  
"And a priest could leak information. If Harold leaked information, I'd make sure he'd have boiled tripe for dinner every day for the rest of his natural life," added Mrs. Hiragizawa.  
  
Tomoyo passed the rest of the day restlessly, she really just wanted all the little formalities to be over and have a chance to speak with Eriol or Eli or whoever else he was, but their parents just kept talking and talking, so finally, Tomoyo pleaded fatigue and went to bed.  
  
Eriol noticed that Tomoyo was restless. Her shifting eyes, her irregular breathing, her hands that refused to keep still. He had an idea of what she was thinking about. He wanted to talk to her, to apologize for hiding the truth, but that simply was impossible with their parents around. Geez, their parents sure like to talk. And it didn't exactly help that Edith and Sonomi were friends.  
  
Try as she might, she could not fall asleep. She wanted a chance to be alone and talk with her new husband, so she waited.  
  
When Eriol did come up later, he thought she was asleep, and she almost was, but the door squeaked when he walked in. Tomoyo sat up in bed. "You needn't try to be so quiet, I'm not asleep yet."  
  
Eriol turned around. "Were you surprised my dear Phoenix?"  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "Did you know about this beforehand?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"Well, yes," he came and sat down on the bed next to her. She hit him with a pillow.  
  
"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" She hit him again.  
  
"There must have been some reason your mother was keeping this a secret from you. I didn't know what it was so I decided to keep it to myself," Eriol smiled apologetically and got up to dodge her attacks with the pillow. He walked into the bathroom and Tomoyo buried her head into her pillow. "My request still stands though, Tomoyo," he called out. "Please, don't go back to the Underground."  
  
"I won't," she said, but her voice was so muffled, Eriol couldn't tell what she was saying.  
  
"Isn't this wonderful Tomoyo? What a coincidence!"  
  
"Eriol. Eli. What ever. Do you have any other secrets?" Tomoyo asked cautiously.  
  
"Don't you think I should be the one asking you that?"  
  
"I don't. I was Phoenix, a spy, that's all."  
  
"And I was just Eli, wanting to get away from my troubles."  
  
"Am I part of your troubles?" Tomoyo asked, tracing the design on the head board of the bed.  
  
Eriol looked out of the bathroom. "No. You're a blessing." He came out without Tomoyo noticing. He leaned over her and touched her back.  
  
Tomoyo let out a surprised yelp and turned around. He sat down, resting one hand next to her shoulder and the other on her hips. Lips meet, bodies touched, passions fulfilled.   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The bed was so soft and the covers so warm. Her eyes lazily fluttered open. Someone's arm was around her naked waist. She almost panicked, but then she remembered where she was. She could feel his breath on her neck. Tomoyo ran her fingers up and down Eriol's arm. Eriol woke up and she turned around in his embrace.  
  
"Morning you," she said.  
  
"Morning you," he repeated, "I am very tempted to think this is all a dream," he said teasingly.  
  
"If I pinch you you'll know it's not a dream."  
  
He wrinkled his nose. "I think I'd rather be kissed."   
Tomoyo leaned over and gave him a feather-light kiss. Eriol grinned and caught her face, kissing her lovingly. Tomoyo sighed, "Won't our parents be surprised at how adoring we are of each other?"  
  
"Oooooh...I forgot about the banquet tonight."  
  
"I never got to hear the details, like time and place?"  
  
"My parents house, six. There's gonna be press coverage."  
  
"I figured," she sighed and then her eyes sparkled mischievously as she leaned over him, "you know, I can't seem to remember what happened last night. Would you care to show me again?"  
  
Eriol's grin grew even wider. "I'd love to."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"We are live at the Hiragizawa mansion where the Admiral and his wife are throwing a lavish party celebrating their son's marriage. His lucky wife remains a mystery..." All of the reporters were saying practically the same thing. Tomoyo and Eriol had decided to make an entrance and come a few minutes late. All the guests had arrived except for the bride and the groom. Edith and Sonomi secretly wondered if they had killed each other or something along those lines.  
  
"ooooo...Sonomi...here's another car!" Edith cried looking out the door.  
  
A huge stretch limousine pulled up to the mansion. The chauffer stepped out and opened the door. "Ok, peoples," said the Common-Net reporter, "this is it...we get to find out who is the new Mrs. Hiragizawa!"  
  
Eriol stepped out of the car and turned his back to the crowd, helping out his wife. "Oh, my gawd!! Eriol Hiragizawa has gone and married Tomoyo Daidouji!!!! The most gorgeous Elite man has married the belle of the Elite!" The Common-Net reporter fainted. She was not the only one.  
  
Tomoyo looked around at the fainting and swooning reporters. "Is this good or bad Eriol?"  
  
"I think it's good. I'm not sure. I think we just keep walking," he whispered out of the side of his mouth. Their mothers ran out to welcome them.  
  
"Tomoyo, Eriol! Late!" Sonomi said.  
  
"Sorry mother, we lost track of time," Tomoyo said gazing up at her husband.  
  
Edith and Sonomi looked surprised. "Never mind, never mind mother, let's just all go in and shock the hell out of everyone else. What do you say my dear?" asked Eriol.  
  
"Of course," Tomoyo smiled and leaned slightly against Eriol's arm.  
  
Eriol went to hang up their coats. Sonomi took this chance to ask Tomoyo, "this is an unexpected change, what happened last night?"  
  
"I'll tell you later, mother dear." Tomoyo winked. Eriol came back and offered his arm, Tomoyo took it and they walked into the dining room.  
  
"Ahhh...they're finally here!" boomed Eriol's father waving at them, "Come here, come here, we've been waiting." As the couple walked to their seats, a murmur arose from the seated.  
  
Tomoyo and Eriol sat down and as soon as it was polite to do so and when the clatter of utensils against plates would drown out their talking, Eriol leaned over and asked, "so, what are people saying?"  
  
Tomoyo giggled and replied, "the single ones are wondering how they let us get away and wondering about my dress. The married ones are wondering if we really are in love, since we act like it."  
  
"Well, whether or not they believe it, we are married and we are madly in love with each other."  
  
"Mother is wondering what happened to illicit such a change in me. What do we tell her?"  
  
Eriol thought for a moment. "We'll think of something, darling."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Eriol watched as his wife moved from group to group. She was so alive, but in a different way than when she was Phoenix, when she was with him. "They're wondering if we're really in love," he recalled Tomoyo's whisper and for the hundredth time since he first realized who Phoenix was, he asked himself, _ what if this is just an infatuation?_ Lost in thought, he didn't hear her calling to him.  
  
"Eriol!" Tomoyo dragged him over to Greta and Melly who immediately started bombarding the couple with questions.  
  
  
  
  
  
a/n: is this happily ever after for our two lovers??? heck no! well...not yet at least...stay tuned ;) i personally like that part where the reporter fainted. 


	13. Melly, the Underground, and Spiral

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
sorry for the wait...enjoy   
  
  
  


**_Melly, the Underground, and Spiral_**

  
  
  
Eriol loved Tomoyo passionately. He regretted ever even _thinking_ that his love was just a crush. Every time she kissed him, all his common sense disappeared and he was reduced to an animal controlled by hormones, making their nights interesting. When she told him she was pregnant, he was overjoyed, but that meant six months of chastity. Being a father though, was worth it. He absolutely adored everything about her, the way she talked, the way she moved, the way she carried herself, the way she arranged things, the way she kept her hair, the way she smelled. Even after two years of marriage, their passion and love had not subsided. "Every time is like the first," she once whispered to him, when they were...busy. He wasn't sure what exactly she was referring to, but he agreed with her.  
  
As for Tomoyo, every moment of her life with Eriol was like an adventure. She was never sure when he would surprise her by coming home early, or making dinner for just the two of them, or "kidnapping" her and taking her on romantic midnight walks, or simply coming up to her and for no reason start kissing her fervently, which always made her weak in the knees and completely at his mercy. The memory of her first "kidnapping" always invoked a smile. He had snuck up behind her and blindfolded her. The only reason she hadn't hurt him was because she knew it was him. They had gone to the parks district and made love under the drooping branches of a willow tree. The poor animals must have been frightened to death, she had joked. Tomoyo always looked forward to nights spent with him. Eriol always had a way of making things interesting, and he had surprisingly naughty ideas.  
  
Many months past and Tomoyo scrupulously tried to avoid the Underground. There were times when she just needed to get away and she would think of shape shifting and flying away, but out of love and respect for Eriol, she never did. Then after that, she got pregnant and she could not shift and leave to the Underground. Eriol also never went back. After his brief fling with Phoenix there, he realized exactly how dangerous it was and abandoned it forever.  
  
Melly came over one day when their daughter was almost a year old. She was hysterical over something Tomoyo could not figure out, so she invited Melly to spend the night. Melly declined. "I just found out who my parents are marrying me off to."  
  
"Who?" Tomoyo asked, the dread thick in her voice.  
  
"Nathaniel Evans."  
  
Tomoyo gasped. Nate Evans had had five wives already and was looking for a sixth. They were all dreadfully abused; two of them had killed themselves, one died in childbed, and another two were found beaten. All of this was scandal that was covered up from the media. Evans was good looking enough, but among the Elite, his reputation preceded him. "I...I suppose your parents are doing this because he offered a large dowry?"  
  
Melly tearfully nodded her head. Tomoyo bit her lip. She wanted to show Melly her way of escaping - the Underground - but Eriol had forbidden it. At that very moment, her daughter, Josephine (Jo for short) crawled into the room. Tomoyo picked her up and whispered, "Well, rules were made to be broke weren't they Jo?" Her baby cooed in response.  
  
"Did you just say something Tomoyo?" Melly asked reaching out for the baby.  
  
Tomoyo bit her lip again. Eriol would be so angry at her, but some rules just screamed for breaking, like this one. She stood up and took Melly's hand. "Melly, I want to show you something. We're going to go somewhere, but first," she scrawled a note to her husband, _Melly and I went out. Josie's at mother's house. luv, Tomoyo._  
  
After they dropped of Jo, Tomoyo told Melly to wash her face and get rid of all the make up and hair ornaments. She lent Melly a pair of sweats and Tomoyo had her chauffer drop them off in the parks district. As they waited for a cab, Tomoyo instructed Melly, "We're going to the Underground."  
  
"The underground?" Melly gasped. "It's dangerous there!"  
  
"Not if you're the Phoenix," said Tomoyo. Melly raised her eyebrows. "I'm the Phoenix, Melly, I'm well known and respected here. Don't worry, you'll be safe."  
  
"If you say so Tomoyo," Melly answered doubtfully.  
  
"Phoenix. Don't call me Tomoyo. Phoenix."  
  
Tomoyo took Melly to the Jester. She knew it wasn't particularly wise of her to choose the Jester, but at least there, she would be left alone. "Watch this Melly," she whispered conspiratorially. Tomoyo opened the door and stepped inside, turning up her nose slightly and looking around. Someone close by recognized her and whispered "Phoenix" to his neighbors. Heads turned. The feeling of being respected and feared in the Underground was good.  
  
"Come Melly," Tomoyo gestured as she made her way to the bar. "'lo Spiral."  
  
Spiral glared slightly. He wanted to interrogate her, but that was against the rules. "Phoenix. Anything for you?"  
  
"No." Spiral had not changed much. He limped slightly and his skin was growing yellow, a sickly, pallid, yellow, perhaps his liver was dying on him. Tomoyo turned to her friend. "Do you see how much better off we are than these people, Melly?"  
  
Melly looked around and nodded.  
  
"Listen, I have money, I can get you off this planet, away from Evans if you want."  
  
"Won't Eriol object?"  
  
"Eli, you mean. No, it's my money that I made from spying."  
  
"Spying?"  
  
"Yes, spying. I did a lot of spying and I was the best at my business."  
  
"So you made a lot of money. That's why you were almost never home during the day."  
  
Spiral listened to this interchange from afar. Phoenix definitely had not been from the Underground. She was either Common or Elite. She had probably married Eli too. Just the thought of Eli made his blood boil. He had lived almost two years wondering whether or not he'd ever see Phoenix again and he's just about given up when she had come back! A customer was yelling at him, he couldn't afford to listen to Phoenix right now, but he would keep his ears open.  
  
Tomoyo and Melly sat talking softly until nightfall when Eriol burst into the bar. "Eriol!" Melly exclaimed. Tomoyo and Eriol glared at her.  
  
"Eli, remember Melly?" Tomoyo hissed. "How did you know I was here Eli?"  
  
"Well, I didn't get home until a while ago, I went and picked up Jo and waited with her and when you didn't come home, I dropped her off at my mother's and came here. I don't understand why you had to bring Melly along though, and didn't we agree that you wouldn't do this anymore?" Eriol had said all this in a hurried whisper and a hurt tone, even though he kissed her cheek afterwards.  
  
"We'll talk when we get home, dearest."  
  
Melly started crying. "So, the two of you really are in love. Everyone thinks you two are just really good at acting."  
  
Eriol and Tomoyo shot each other alarmed looks. "Melly, let's take you home. We'll talk when we get home," Eriol said and the three of them left the bar.  
  
Spiral heard bits and pieces of their conversation. He knew names now. Real names. Jo, Melly, and Eriol. If he could get onto a vidcom with net access, he could look up these names and find out who Phoenix really was, then the rest would be easy. Spiral thought, _ Where can I get access to free nets?_  
  
Commons District. That would mean he would have to get clothes that didn't look quite so raggedy...that could take a while, but he would have to work fast. His head aches were a twenty-four/seven issue now....  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Please, Melly, spend the night here. You'll feel better in the morning," Tomoyo pleaded.  
  
"Melly, what's going on?" asked Eriol.  
  
"She's marrying Evans," Tomoyo curtly supplied the answer.  
  
Eriol stood up dazed. Evans. He should be banned from women. He had tried to get Eriol to "try out his girls" but Eriol had refused. "I'm completely satisfied with Tomoyo thank you very much," he remembered telling him. Evans had responded by shaking his head and saying he was missing out. He could guess what kind of future awaited their gentle friend. "Is there anything we can do?"  
  
Tomoyo hesitated. "I offered her a new life. With the money I have stored away."  
  
Eriol looked at Melly. "Melly, take the offer. Tomoyo, she has a lot of money that she's never going to use."  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "I can transfer a good amount of money into your name, buy you a new identity and a home on a nice tropical planet and still have so much left over I would be able to live ten times more extravagantly than this. Please. I want you to live a good life, Melly."  
  
She laughed bitterly. "What kind of life would I be living without my friends and family?"  
  
"A good one, Melly, a good one." Eriol said. "One without Evans."  
  
"Melly, I have connections. You won't ever be found. You and me, we can still talk. Please, please, take it."  
  
Melly quietly contemplated. "How fast can you get this done?"  
  
"I don't know. I've never done it before."  
  
"You have a month."  
  
Tomoyo glanced at Eriol. "A month. I will get you off-world in less than a month Melly." Tomoyo took her friend's hands. "I promise."  
  
That night, in bed, Tomoyo and Eriol did not make love like the normally did. They worried about how they would manage to give Melly all they wanted to give her in less than a month.   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Tomoyo and Eriol worked day and night to get Melly away and in three weeks, they did it. Melly was gone. Away. To some tropical planet half way across the galaxy where her name would be Elizabeth Melanie Ford. A woman who had inherited billions from an aunt and was living in the lap of luxury. Tomoyo had made sure that the house she had purchased was installed with a secure line so the two friends could still talk. Melly's parents were distraught at the disappearance of their daughter.  
  
Her mother blamed her father for being so greedy and wanting to marry their daughter off to some wife beater. The media was all over the disappearance of an Elite girl and the whole planet was searched for any sign of her. Eriol and Tomoyo were also worried, but for a different reason. Melly would be in space for a month before she would arrive. A month of worrying that Melly would get caught.  
  
The month passed slowly and finally, one day, they received a call, on their private line. "Tomoyo? I'm here. Thank you. The house, the place is beautiful." Both were relived that Melly had gotten away safely.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Meanwhile, Spiral had found out where his Phoenix was. She was Tomoyo Daidouji, no, Tomoyo Hiragizawa. Finding her and getting her would not be difficult now.   
  
  
  
  



	14. Hide and Seek

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
  
  
  
  


**_Hide and Seek_**

  
  
  
Sprial knocked on the door. A maid answered. "Sir?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm the new gardener, the Hiragizawas hired."  
  
She frowned. "I was not informed of Madam hiring a gardener. She always takes care of the garden herself."  
  
_Shit. I didn't think of that._ he thought. "Well, she did. Mebbe she just forgot to inform you."  
  
She brightened up. "Probably. The gardens are over that way. Madam will not be awake for another half hour, so mind you don't make any noise."  
  
"Of course," he said with false sincerity. Spiral wandered into the gardens. He wasn't sure what to do, how to start. Some one was pulling back curtains on the second floor. Spiral hid. He could not see who it was, but he noted the trellis next to the window. He could climb up those and see who it was.  
  
Spiral congratulated himself for his thinking and scrambled up the trellis.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Tomoyo sat up. "Did you hear that Eriol?"  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
"That bumping noise."  
  
"It's probably just Jo," he put his arm around Tomoyo's shoulder and brought her back to bed.  
  
Spiral peeked into the window. Phoenix, no, Tomoyo and Eriol were still in bed. It made him ill to see his Phoenix hugging, touching, kissing another man. The door was pushed open slightly. Spiral ducked and then cautiously looked again. Now the two were playing with a little girl. _That must be their daughter._  
  
"Jo!" Tomoyo exclaimed, parting from Eriol. "What are you doing up honey?"  
  
"Mommy!" Little Josephine tried to climb up onto her parent's bed, but it was too tall for her.  
  
Eriol picked her up. "What's the matter, Jo?"  
  
Jo looked very seriously into her father's eyes. "Daddy, do you love mommy?"  
  
Eriol widened his eyes. "Why are you thinking about this Josie baby?" Tomoyo asked. "Three year olds should be thinking about playing and worrying their mothers." Jo giggled.  
  
"Because at play group, I heard someone else's mommy say that you and Daddy didn't like each other."  
  
Eriol frowned. "I guess those rumors are still flying. Jo, honey, listen to me. There are some things, you'll understand when you get older, but you can rest assured that your mother and I love each other very much and don't listen to the old farts who say we aren't."  
  
"Eriol!" Tomoyo said. "Jo, just don't call them old farts ok?"  
  
"OK, Mommy," she yawned. "Can I fall sleep here?"  
  
"Of course Josie." Eriol answered.   
As Jo drifted off to sleep, Eriol put her down in their bed. She was going to be beautiful, just like Tomoyo. She hadn't lost her baby fat yet and she had a lot of peach fuzz. She had lighter hair than Eriol or Tomoyo and she looked more like Sonomi, but her hair was curly like Tomoyo's and she had Eriol's eyes.  
  
Spiral watched Eriol put down the child and talk to Tomoyo. When the two got up to get changed, Spiral quickly left, he would probably not be able to come as a gardener again   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Madam," the maid said to Tomoyo at breakfast. "The gardener you hired came by this morning. I think he left already though."  
  
"I didn't hire a gardener. What are you talking about Jenny?"  
  
"You didn't hire a gardener Madam?"  
  
"No." Eriol put down his fork and watched his wife think. "What did he look like?" she asked.  
  
"Well, he was a sickly looking thing, who might have had a limp. I showed him to the gardens."  
  
Tomoyo got up from the table and stormed outside. She had an idea of what was going on, but she refused to believe it. Eriol followed her. "Eriol, I don't think the bump we heard this morning was Josephine."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Tomoyo didn't answer him. The trelis was crooked. "No. I think...I think it might have been Spiral."  
  
"Sprial? How would he know where we are?"  
  
Tomoyo pondered for a moment. She slapped her head. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Eriol, darling, I'm so sorry."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That day, I went to the Underground with Melly...she said your name."  
  
Eriol caught on to what Tomoyo was hinting at. "Waitwaitwaitwait. We don't know for sure that it's Spiral. We just think it's Spiral. Could it be that you forgot you hired a gardener and..."  
  
"Maybe. I doubt it though."  
  
"Do you want to increase security?" Eriol asked  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "Send Jo away too."  
  
"Jo?"  
  
"Don't you think that Jo could be a target if it is Spiral? Simply because she's our daughter?"  
  
Eriol mulled over that statement. "Yes. You're right. We'll send her to your mother's place."  
  
"My mother? Wouldn't it be safer with your parents?"  
  
"Your mother's closer. Besides, it wouldn't make a difference."  
  
Tomoyo shrugged. "I'll go get her packed. You...you take care of the security issues."  
  
Jo balked at having to leave her parents for such a long time, but after a lot of coaxing and bribery, Jo was finally on her way to her grandmother's house. Eriol had no trouble enhancing security around the house; the younger HIragizawas were notorious for paying their hired hands well, so when Eriol advertised for more servants, they practically lines themselves up.  
  
When Spiral returned again the next week, he was more than slightly dismayed at the number of people patrolling the property. He would need a new plan. He groaned, his head was throbbing so badly, he felt like it was going to fall off. He needed some alcohol.   
  
  
  



	15. Dun Dun dun

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
  
  
  
  


**_dun dun dun!_**

  
  
  
The Hiragizawas had no problem with Spiral for the next month. Ignoring Eriol's protestations, Tomoyo brought Jo home and relaxed security. Spiral on the other hand, had no idea of the changes. He was so ill and weak that he did not realize much of anything. He was delirious with fever and hunger. All he could think about was getting money for food.  
  
Spiral had given up the Jester when he started getting so physically ill that he could not stand. The illness had crept up and surprised him, so he was not prepared to support himself. Half the time, he went about starving.   
  
Spiral coughed. There was a time when he scoffed at those who were ill, taking his own health for granted. He regretted that now, because it was that much harder for him to forage for food. He thought about his past. His glorious past.  
  
He hadn't really been a true foundling, because he wasn't abandoned until he was three. He could remember having a lot of brothers and sisters. He never was full, but he always had a warm place to stay and enough food to keep his hunger at bay. The color of the room he shared with others was a soft green. Even now, after all these years, seeing that particular shade of green would always comfort him. Too bad the Underground was a place of drab grays, browns and blacks. The only color in _his_ life had been Phoenix.  
  
Except she, like his parents, had deserted him. He remembered a woman, presumably his mother, crying over him as he fell asleep one night. Then the next morning, he was in a box, in the Underground. He had lived off scraps for a few years before he joined a street gang. He didn't understand right from wrong, and did whatever the "boss" told him to do. As he grew older, he drifted away from the gang and tried to make his way into the world by doing business. His type of business though, was the shady type.  
  
Spiral vividly remembered the first time he was hired to kill. He had never killed anyone before, so he just closed his eyes and stabbed. Then he got the Jester. The boss from his childhood gang had given it to him. Sprial thought that this was honest living, much better than being hired to kill people. He honestly believed that he would be able to make a good living running a bar.  
  
Unfortunately, drink was expensive for him to purchase and many times, his customers left fake money, so he was still always poor.  
  
He had owned the Jester for three years when he first heard the name Phoenix. She was a petite little woman who acted twice the age she looked. Her first deal was made because she was eaves dropping. She had information other people wanted and she walked up to them and offered. People didn't fear her at first because she was a woman, but she soon taught the Underground to fear her. She had ways of getting information. Information that no one else could get.  
  
The Jester was the bar she favored and soon became her informal headquarters. Spiral had admired Phoenix from afar for a long time. Her reputation had made him afraid to make a move. Then Eli came. He took her from him. He took her. She fell in love with him and she was no longer only his.  
  
Thinking about Eli made him hurt more, but how could he not? His Phoenix had married him, made love to him, bore him a child. This was too much. The mental image of her in bed turned him on, but her in bed with Eli made him wretch. He had it all planned out, how he was going to steal Phoenix from Eli. He had it all planned out. But the child and his illness complicated things. Now, he could only thank his lucky star for each day he was able to wake up. Who knew when the next time he would be strong enough to make the long trek to his beloved's house would be?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Another month passed and Spiral never again showed his face near their house. The security around their house returned to normal and their lives resumed their normal pace. Tomoyo was planning a party for Eriol's twenty fifth birthday. She wanted it to be the most spectacular party ever. Everything had to be perfect.  
  
Tomoyo had personally supervised decorations and food. She also made sure that there would be no alcohol served; Jo would be present, and Tomoyo had another surprise for Eriol that she had been wanting to tell for a while.  
  
Eriol and Tomoyo greeted everyone. The guest list was select, only about 50 people were invited. No body wanted to turn down an invitation to anything that had the name Hiragizawa attached to it, so all fifty attended, bring lavish gifts for the couple. Eriol made the customary thank-yous and the customary speech. What surprised him was his wife's insistence on speaking as well.  
  
She first spoke of Eriol, how nice he was, how caring, loving, handsome he was. Then she spoke of Melly, the missing one. There was a seat near Tomoyo that was purposely kept empty for her. She talked of their marriage, their love for each other and their daughter, Josephine, who had already gone to bed. Then she looked at Eriol and told him what she had known for almost a month. She was again going to have a child.  
  
Eriol's eyes widened. The audience felt sure that this was the moment when they could tell whether or not the couple really loved each other. He smiled. "I like that news better than anything I've seen or heard all day, sweetie," and he kissed her. In front of everyone. Sonomi, Edith, and Harold were dumbfounded. Their children were madly in love after five years. Amazing!  
  
A maid walked in and whispered something to Tomoyo. She smiled and said something to Eriol and followed the maid. "Madam, I know how you like to help the poor and this man was just walking around in the street, so I took him in and feed him. I knew you wouldn't mind."  
  
"No, I don't mind. So, why do I need to see him?"  
  
"He wants to see you. He's delirious..."  
  
She opened the door to the servants kitchen and Tomoyo glanced in. His back was facing her, but she did not need to see his face to know who he was. Her breath speed up and she frantically whispered, "don't go in. Leave him to me. I'll be right back." She raced back to the dining room to find the guests chatting in groups amongst themselves. Tomoyo ran to Eriol. "You have to come see this, Eriol. You have to," she breathlessly said.  
  
Eriol excused himself and followed his wife, wondering at her odd behavior. The maid held open the door for them to see. Eriol too, recognized him. He pulled Tomoyo into the hallway. She was trembling. "What are we going to do? What are we going to do?" she kept repeating.  
  
"Calm down, calm down. There must be something we can do. You must remember, we have the upper hand here."  
  
"Eriol, I don't want to kill him...." an involuntary shiver passed through her.  
  
"No, we don't have to do that. We can just-" He never finished his sentence. Their unwanted guest had heard the hushed whispers and come out to investigate.  
  
"Phoenix!" he cried, falling onto Tomoyo and groping.  
  
She muffled a scream. "Get you hands off my wife, Spiral," Eriol ordered coolly wresting Tomoyo from him.  
  
"She was mine first," he slurred, his tongue loose from liquor. "You took her away from me."  
  
"I was never yours," she spat.  
  
"Never the less," he tried to sound sophisticated, to win her over. "I loved you and you deserted me." He forcefully grabbed her arm and started caressing her cheek. She winced and tried to get away. "Why are you so afraid of me, my love?"  
  
Eriol pulled out a gun from under his jacket. He aimed at Spiral, who upon noticing the gun, pulled out his own knife and pressed it to Tomoyo's throat. "Don't even think about it."  
  
"Eriol, don't shoot at him," she pleaded, her voice cracking.  
  
Spiral looked at her in surprise. Grabbing a fistful of hair, he forced her face close to his and kissed her, just to show Eriol the kind of power he had. Tomoyo stomped on his foot, the one that was hurt. Spiral yelled. The commotion had attracted the attention of the servants, who had gathered around behind Eriol and were watching through terrified eyes.  
  
While Sprial was moaning about his foot, Tomoyo neatly threw him to the ground and disarmed him. Sprial saw what she was intending on doing and scrambled for the knife, but Eriol picked it up. Fearfully and rebelliously, Spiral looked up. Phoenix was standing behind Eli now.  
  
Phoenix, his beautiful, flawless Phoenix, had just one flaw: she was in love with someone else. He could see the hatred smoldering in her eyes. Hatred that was for him. For him. It burned into his soul. She really had deserted him now. He would not forget. And Eli. Eli, was just Eli. His cold, calculating gaze refused to let Spiral go. His innerds squirmed under his scrutiny. He did not seemed to be affected by Spiral or what he had done.  
  
Phoenix, seemed shaken, he had never seen her like that before. Her anger and frustration were barely concealed. Her body trembled as she physically tried to fight for control of her emotions. Eli seemed to harness the energy of his anger and turn it against the aggressor, in this case, Spiral. Spiral could remember learning that cold anger was the best kind of anger to have because it was easily controlled. Hot anger was volatile. Cold anger could be used as a weapon. Eli had a bounty of cold anger, cold anger that was directed to Spiral.  
  
Eriol finally spoke, each word falling from his lips and shattering like glass on Spiral's ears. "Now who has the power?"  
  
The party guests weren't quite sure what was taking Eriol and Tomoyo so long, and the thought of looking for them never occurred. The servant had gathered around watching the drama, but Spiral, Eriol, and Tomoyo were oblivious to their audience.  
  
As Eriol spoke, Tomoyo watched, her rationality was almost gone, she really wanted Spiral dead now. His refusal to accept what was happening probably had something to do with the fact that he was half drunk. Spiral studied Phoenix's face after Eli spoke. She showed nothing on her face. That was when he made the decision.  
  
If he couldn't have her, no one could. He knew that somewhere, he had another knife, he just had to remember where he put it, so he stalled. He looked up at Eriol and said, "you wouldn't shoot a drunk man who's delirious would you?"  
  
Eriol looked down with the disgust apparent on his face. "Stop sniveling or else I_ will_ shoot."  
  
Spiral remembered where he put his other knife, under his shirt! He felt for it. When he had the handle, he shifted slightly. Tomoyo would have been able to spot this, except she was looking away, telling some servants to call the police. Spiral quickly pulled out his knife and ran to Phoenix.  
  
She turned around.  
  
The guests heard a scream and then a gun shot.  
  
  
  
  
  
a.n:I'm so evil....^-^ 


	16. What do you think?...the truth is out

  
**Disclaimer: I don't own any ccs characters. :( They all belong to CLAMP.**   
a/n: boy was I evil or what? Anyway, sorry for the two week gap...i was on spring break and now i'm wrapped up in studying for various tests...>_   
  
  


**_What do you think?...the truth is out_**

  
  
  
Sonomi looked around. The scream and the gunshot had come from where the children were! It seemed like most of the other guests couldn't figure it out, which was just as well. She rushed into the servant's wing. A dozen and a half terrified thoughts presented themselves. Immediately banished because they were too terrible to possible true, or at least, that's what she hoped.   
  
Tomoyo had turned around to see a wild eyed Spiral coming at her with a knife. She screamed and then she heard gunfire and a bug thud. Eriol had fired his gun, but the wound to Spiral was only superficial, he, like Tomoyo, had no desire to kill.  
  
Spiral looked down at his leg. He touched the blood pouring from it in wonder. Why had Eli not killed him?  
  
Sonomi came into the hallway and gasped. Her daughter was standing, frozen like a statue, her son-in-law was calmly holding a gun at a beggar. The beggar was sitting on the floor, his pupil's dilated and a knife at his side, blood on his leg. What was going on? How did Tomoyo and Eriol get mixed up in a situation like this?  
  
Spiral looked up. He had lost his will to live. The gun shot. Phoenix. Eli. They didn't kill him, but they didn't want him. "Why didn't you kill me?" he asked to no one in particular. It was al he could think about. Boom. Phoenix. Eli. Boom Phoenix Eli Boomphoenixeli phoenixeli phoenixeli...  
  
"We don't want to kill anyone, Sprial," Tomoyo answered gently in a tone that conveyed more distaste than sorrow. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Not even if the person was you."  
  
"You should have just left well enough alone," Eriol added.  
  
Sprial seemed to contemplate that. His hand traveled along the floor to the knife. Eriol got ready to shoot again. He turned the knife around in his hand. "Why didn't you want me, Phoenix, why did you go with Eli?"  
  
Tomoyo didn't answer. She just looked at him like he was some fantasmagorical figment of her imagination. Sonomi watched. The three of them seemed to know each other. What _had_ the children gotten into??  
  
Sprial saw that Phoenix wasn't going to answer. His last vestige of hope was swept away by the hard, disapproving look she gave him. He raised his knife and killed himself.  
  
The sound of a knife sliding through ribs was one that Tomoyo hoped never to hear again, he had looked at her as he was dying. Despair, Depression, Sorrow, Shame, Disappointment. She would never be able to shake off the look on his face. She looked at Eriol, her breath coming in big gasps of relief. Eriol walked over to his wife and took her in his arms. Both of them sank to the floor and he cradled her in his arms like a baby as she sobbed dryly on his shoulder. Sonomi watched unable to utter a single word until Eriol spoke. "Someone, call the police or the medics or something."  
  
The servants scrambled around to do what they were told and Sonomi demanded, "How did you....what did you....who was that?"  
  
"Not now, please mother," Tomoyo pleaded with her mother, her voice muffled by Eriol's shirt.  
  
The police arrived, startling all the guests, who all left at the request of the police, except for Harold and Edith. To the police, Eriol told a story different from the truth. "We like to help the poor people," he explained. "Apparently, this one was just ill or drunk, or both and thought my wife was someone else and attacked her, twice. He killed himself, I only shot at his leg. Neither of us wanted him dead..."  
  
"That's enough, Mr. Hiragizawa, we'll take him away now," the sergeant said.  
  
Sonomi waited until they were a good distance away from the police before she started. "That's not what it seemed like to me, Eriol. The three of you knew each other. You _knew_ each other! I want to know the truth. How did you get messed up in such dangerous affairs?" She felt hurt that her children had kept a secret as dangerous as this one.  
  
Eriol seemed to ignored the question. He carried Tomoyo into their room and got a bath ready for her. Sonomi went back down stairs to wait with Edith and Harold who were even more clueless that Sonomi. Tomoyo was in shock. She never realized that Spiral was so determined. She didn't want to see him killed. She hated killing people. Grateful that Eriol was so understanding, she allowed herself to be led around by him. She vaguely understood that now the truth would have to come out, but full realization didn't hit her until she was soaking in a tub full of hot water.  
  
In the Underground, she had killed, but out of self defense and as a last resort. More frequently, she had hurt the person, just a nick to show them never to mess with Phoenix again.  
  
When she came out, Eriol was waiting for her. He patted the spot on the bed next to him, motioning for her to come over. She sat. "Your mother-"  
  
"Yes, I know, we should tell her."  
  
"Our parents won't be happy."  
  
There was a long quite. Just sitting together was comforting, and both of them reveled in the familiarity of the other's presence. "Melly might come up."  
  
Eriol hadn't thought of that. That would really make their parents angry. And their parents might tell others. And that would just not be good. "May be we could swear them to silence over the matter."  
  
"I don't think Underground tactics would work very well."  
  
"We'll just ask them to be quiet about it."  
  
They walked downstairs, hand in hand, to face their parents. Sonomi had told Edith and Harold about what had really happened. They were all experiencing different degrees of furiousness mixed with curiosity.  
  
Eriol motioned with his free hand, "I think you'll need to sit down." Tomoyo agreed. "Hopefully, we won't shock you too much."  
  
She started her story after their parents had made themselves comfortable. Her hand never left Eriol's.  
  
"All right, out with it. What the hell was going on?" Sonomi demanded again.  
  
Eriol calmly meet her flustered gaze. "That's what we're going to tell you now."   
"Mother, do you remember when Daddy left?" Tomoyo started. "Do you remember how sad I was? And then you told me you had betrothed me to someone and I ran away, and I didn't come home until night. Do you remember?" Sonomi nodded. "Do you know where I went? I went to the parks district first. I wandered around and before I knew it, I was in the Underground." Seeing the protests bubbling up from her family, she said, "Let me finish. I was in the Underground. No one ever talked about the Underground at home, so naturally I was curious. I had a vague impression that it was dangerous, and that first time, I fled, because I was terrified."  
  
"The Underground is so different that here," Tomoyo closed her eyes, remembering, "the people are so much more genuine. They worry about things that really matter. In the Elite, we worry about the reporters, our clothes, our hair, our makeup; in the Underground, those people are worried about finding food, shelter, things where making the wrong choice could very well cost them their life." She opened her eyes and looked right at her parents. "They were happy the way they were. I rarely met anyone who wasn't satisfied with his lot in life, even though they were in rags and more often than not, didn't have enough to eat or a place to sleep. They were happy."  
  
"You weren't happy?" Sonomi accused.  
  
Tomoyo shook her head. "But I went back. I wanted to know why they were happy and I wasn't. And each time I went back, I got to know more and more of the place. And then I found the Jester. A bar. I didn't drink anything, I was just curious. Do you want to know what I did in the Underground? I know you do, mother," she asked, almost challengingly.  
  
She was right, they all wanted to know what she did.  
  
"I was a spy. The first job I got was almost an accident. I had overheard two men wanting to find out more about...about...well, I can't remember what it was about, but the point is, I knew what they wanted. I went up to them and told them that I could find out what they wanted to know, for a price. They asked what price. I told them, but I was suspicious that they would try to cheat me. They swore their honesty. I said, 'If this isn't real, you know I'll have to come hurt you.' They laughed at first, but I had a knife on me and I slashed it across one guy's arm."  
  
"Needless to say, they handed over the money easily and the bartender confirmed that it was real money. I told them what they wanted to know and that was the start of my career as Phoenix. I choose Phoenix because that's what I like to shift to. My reputation grew because I always made good on my promises. Always. And I was also dangerous to be around. I didn't like being lied to, so in those first few months, I made sure that I was serious about my work."  
  
"Oh, I did other things too, legitimate things, like learning hand-to-hand combat, financing, so on and so forth. Mainly because I had to find a way to throw off the spies that you hired to follow me, Mother, and also because they were useful to me in my _other_ life."  
  
Tomoyo paused to catch her breath. She didn't want to know what her parents were thinking, not yet, so she didn't look at them directly. "Oddly enough, It was my ruthlessness that bought my ticket to life. There were more than a few times I would have possibly gotten killed, but I was such a valuable asset that just being Phoenix was my pass card. Anyway. I made millions of dollars. Millions. I made really valuable connections too. I have money in many different accounts under various names, which was really useful later." She stopped as if contemplating whether or not to go on, when in fact she was wondering what to say next.  
  
"I meet Eriol there too." She stopped again. Looking at her in-laws and at her mother. Shock and disbelief was all she saw.  
  
"Yes," Eriol picked up where Tomoyo had left off. "I went to the Underground too, out of curiosity. Two years after Tomoyo did, so I was seventeen then. I was just a nobody there. Eli was the name I used. Three years later, I meet Phoenix for the first time. I didn't go to often, so I hadn't really heard of her. It was at the Jester. She was drinking something. I thought it was alcohol, but it turned out to be root beer. She called me a fathead that first time I saw her." He grinned at that memory.  
  
Tomoyo smiled a little too. "By that time, I had enough money to buy most of the planet if I really wanted to, but I invested some in root beer. You know how much I hate alcohol."  
  
"There were people following Tomoyo. I had watched them leave every time she left and they were always there. I wanted to help her, but also wanted to see what she thought of me, so I decided that the best thing to do was just to sit tight and let her take care of herself. And then, she asked me to help her. I was absolutely delighted because I was madly in love with her." His next sentence was directed at his parents. "You might scoff at the idea of love, but...you shouldn't." He hugged Tomoyo around the shoulders with one arm.   
  
"And I wasn't sure about my feelings for him, but something inside was pushing me to Eriol. I wanted to leave the Underground. I was getting tired of it, but I wanted to know what was going on. As a general rule, I never trusted anyone from the Underground, but I really, really wanted to trust Eli."  
  
"I found out who was hiring the spies to follow Tomoyo."  
  
"But I didn't really believe him, so I shifted into a mouse and hid in the bar until closing time. Eriol was right. The bartender, Spiral, the man that killed himself, was hiring spies to come after me. And he ordered them to kill Eriol if he got too close. I remember being so afraid. That was the first time, I realized that I did love him and I didn't want him to die. But I was so convinced that love didn't exist...That was the worst moment of my life, not discovering I was in love, but finding out that I was the reason people were after Eriol."  
  
"Luckily, I had practice with guns, I always had one with me. One day, she told me to leave. I would have left, except that same day, they tried to kill us, so I shot at them. I killed one of the spies."  
  
"They were really rotten at spying. Spiral obviously didn't have very much money," Tomoyo added. "That's why I got paid so much, because I actually was good at spying."  
  
"We don't know what happened to the other spy though," Eriol said.  
  
Edith was about to cut in when Eriol stopped her. "There's more, mother. After you told me I was getting married, I was a little depressed. I told Phoenix that I loved her and she surprised me and told me she loved me too. I wished she were an Elite. At that point, I had no clue that she was, and for the two weeks following, we meet in clandestine places in the Underground."  
  
"Then at her party. That was when I realized that my wife-to-be and my Phoenix were one and the same. I was afraid, no, terrified, of getting married to a prissy stuck up woman, which was what I thought Tomoyo would be." Tomoyo leaned against Eriol. She had never heard this part of the story before. "The ice sculpture was a phoenix. Sometimes, when she was with Melly and Greta, I could see her real self shine through and I only suspected, at first, so I watched her very closely. Tomoyo Daidouji was Phoenix. I was in love with the woman I was going to marry. It was....it was..." he struggled for the right words, "beyond incredible, beyond euphoria, excitement to the infinite power..."  
  
"He told me he knew who I was, two days before the wedding. He didn't tell me who he was though. I was completely devastated. Do you remember what I said, Eriol?" She looked up at him.  
  
"Umm, I think you said that if you knew I was and Elite, we might have actually had a chance?" Eriol wasn't sure either. "But I remember saying to you that I would never be very far away."  
  
"I puzzled over that statement, what he said to me. I clearly remember thinking you were insane for saying that. Until I realized that you were Eriol Hiragizawa, and you were mine." Her tone became reflective. "I didn't recognize you without glasses, and when I finally saw you, I didn't, I couldn't believe that it was Eli. _My_ Eli. Remember that strange, well, it wasn't so strange, but that conversation between Eriol and me when we first met? He said I was the Phoenix girl and that was what started me thinking."  
  
"But that's just details," Tomoyo continued. "I promised Eriol that I would never go back to the Underground. And I kept that promise until Melly came over."  
  
"Did the two of you have something to do with Melly's disappearance?" Sonomi asked, unsure whether to be angry or happy.  
  
Tomoyo grew defensive. "I couldn't let me best friend marry that...that...that..."  
  
"Wife-beater?" Eriol supplied  
  
"Yes! I couldn't let Melly marry that wife-beater. I showed her my other life, I took her to the Underground. I offered her a new life. A new identity on another planet. She would have more than enough money because I had so much saved away, I could give her more than enough to live comfortably and still have money left over to live ten times more extravagantly than Eriol and I do now."  
  
"Melly took Tomoyo's offer. She's perfectly safe and happy," Eriol ended. "Except, Spiral found out about us. That was why we sent Jo to live with you for that one month."  
  
"Spiral turned up tonight, and you know how this story ends." Tomoyo finished finally.  
  
Eriol and Tomoyo watched their parents closely. They all seemed to be fighting an internal battle. Sonomi finally spoke. "I'm very disappointed that you chose to risk yourselves in such a manner, but what's done is done. We are going to keep this a secret between the five of us, no?"  
  
They all nodded. Eriol looked at his parents. "Mother? Father? Are you angry?"  
  
Harold shook his head, still stupendously flabbergasted. Edith answered, "As long as you're happy I guess."  
  
Eriol frowned. "You're all just confused aren't you?"  
  
"I'm tired, Eriol. Let's go to bed." Tomoyo said, she didn't want to face her parents anymore.  
  
"We'll leave," Edith and Sonomi said at the same time.  
  
Tomoyo didn't go directly to bed. She went to see her daughter, who was asleep and had not woken up at the sound of screams and gunshots. She would not know about what happened that night. Jo looked to peaceful, sprawled out in her little bed, her leg sticking out from under the blankets and her hands curled up into fists at her head. Tomoyo brushed curls away from her little face, wishing that she could be like Josie, so innocent and free.  
  
Eriol walked in quietly. "Tomoyo," he whispered. "What do you think?" he asked.  
  
She knew what he meant. How did she think their parents took their story. She shrugged. "Isn't she beautiful, Eriol? Isn't she perfect, such a beautiful little princess."  
  
He stood by Tomoyo. "Yes."  
  
"I don't understand, Eriol, I don't understand," she whispered, her voice husky.  
  
Eriol didn't answer right away, not immediately understanding what Tomoyo was talking about. A tear rolled down her cheek. A single tear, down her pearly cheek. Then he knew. Eriol kissed the tear away. "I don't know. I don't know. Maybe it's because it happened in a place we never expected."  
  
"Maybe," she spoke, not quite meeting his steady gaze. "This...this would never have made me so if it had happened in the Underground."  
  
"But it happens all the time there, baby."  
  
"I know..." She suddenly heaved a heavy sigh, as if she were going to say something, but then decided against it.  
  
"Yes?" He pressed his forehead against hers.  
  
Tomoyo smiled a little bit and closed the little space there was between their mouths. Tomoyo got up so suddenly that Jo woke up. She turned a little to see what had woken her up. Her parents were kissing. Jo knew better than to disturb her parents when they were getting close to each other, so she turned over and went back to sleep.  
  
Eriol choose to let Tomoyo sleep in. She seemed to be more shaken by last night's events than he was and he was so scared that his arms and legs might have turned into jelly if he wasn't busy worrying for the safety of his family and guests.  
  
The news reels the next day were interesting. Tomoyo knew there'd be a little piece on her husband's birthday, but what she wasn't expecting was a headline about the suicide in their house. Eriol had chosen not to look at the news until after he had finished eating breakfast, so he didn't read the article until later. What he read surprised him.  
  
The reporter had made up facts and completely stretched the story out of proportion. It was insanity. Almost none of the facts were true. Yes, Spiral did kill himself....that was the only truth in the whole article. Reporters. Now he knew why Tomoyo hated them so.  
  
Speaking of Tomoyo, he wanted to go buy her one of those cakes with fruit toppings she like so much, to celebrate her condition. They didn't get a chance to last night.   
  
It was as if an invisible wall had suddenly sprung up. Sonomi wasn't sure how to act around Tomoyo, Tomoyo wasn't sure how to act around Sonomi. Eriol's parents pretended nothing had happened, but Sonomi felt like she didn't know her daughter anymore. Tomoyo found, though, that as her pregnancy progressed, as it became more apparent, the barrier between her mother and herself vanished away.  
  
Her new baby was another girl. They named her Melly, after, who else but Melly? Jo was fascinated with her new sister and abandoned all her dolls in favor of this new little doll that actually needed to be feed, changed and put to sleep. Little Melly came to view Jo as a second Mother, even though they were only three and a half years apart, and when she could crawl and walk, would follow Jo every where. Tomoyo often wondered if this was healthy behavior, but Eriol just laughed and said it was cute.  
  
When Melly was five, Tomoyo had another child, this one was a boy they named Eli. When he was two, Tomoyo had another baby, a girl again, named Devonny. Eli was fiercely protective of his little sister. Devonny, unlike her two older siblings, was timid and shy. She was more inclined to stay home and sew than to go out and play tag and she allowed herself to be lorded over by her brother. Tomoyo also wondered if this was normal, and once again, Eriol laughed and told her not to worry too much about it.  
  
So as the sun sets on this story of ours, let us live content that the Prince and the Princess, safe in their castle on the hill, but not disillusioned to the real people, lived out their lived in splendor, always surrounded by their children and their children's children and other's they loved. Live your life to the fullest, don't doubt your heart and you too, will find your Prince and your castle on a hill.   
  
  
  
  



End file.
